You Had It All Wrong
by rukaru-romance.passion
Summary: The typical and extremely depressing, 'Two people like each other and have never admitted it' situation. In fact, the gang and co. have decided to bring the two together. RukaRu and others. WILL BE REWRITTEN! First one on my list!
1. Heartbreak

**You Had It All Wrong**

A Rukaru fic.

Summary: Hotaru loves Ruka, Ruka loves Hotaru. But neither one of them knows that the other loves them. Hotaru, as smart as she is, still thinks that Ruka likes Mikan, especially after seeing him stuttering in front of her so much. Even though Mikan and Hotaru are opposites, they are still best friends, and so Ruka gets lots of chances to talk to Mikan. Thing is, every girl he sees, he momentarily thinks is Hotaru. And Hotaru, holed up mostly in her laboratory, doesn't see him stutter in front of other girls, only her best friend. This makes Hotaru heart-broken, even though she tried not to show it. But each passing day, it gets harder for her. First she stopped blackmailing him, but eventually she ignored him altogether, afraid of stepping out of line and breaking down. This makes Ruka, in return, heart-broken also. Mikan being her usual unaware self, is unknowing, but as clueless as she was, she could sense something was wrong. Natsume, being the smart one, had already figured out Ruka's love for Hotaru, and sees signs that maybe, just maybe, she loves him back. But one day, he sees Hotaru crying, and realizes what his best friend had done. So what happens?

I sighed sadly. He has no idea how hard it is for someone like me, seeing the one you love love someone else. I watch Ruka as he stuttered a "hello" to Mikan. _How did I ever fall in love with him?_ I thought. _Sheer stupidity, but I can't stop my heart from being broken like it's being right now._ I tried to stop the gathering tears in my eyes. I'm not jealous of Mikan; after all, I'm not that kind of person, even though I'm not acting myself. _Effects of heartache,_ I thought. I wanted to bang my head on my desk. How did I ever get this emotional? What's happening to me? He's breaking through my stoic façade; I'll break down, sooner or later. I sighed again. He must be so happy that I haven't blackmailed him since last week. I had loved him longer than that, but I finally had enough. If I wanted to keep myself in line, I had to ignore him. Seeing him like this in front of my best friend made me want to cry harder than I already wanted to. One more time, and I had to cry. I wouldn't be able to take it anymore. It's overwhelming, he doesn't even have a clue about how I feel. Oh, how I wanted to hit him for being such an oblivious fool. How I wanted to make him realize what I felt. But it's hopeless, I know in my heart that we can never be together. I turned back to my invention, blinking back the tears again as I covered my face from view with my hair. I'm breaking apart, slowly, and I know it.

I sat in my desk after making a complete fool of myself in front of Mikan. I hate how I keep thinking every girl I talk to or look at isImai_._ Ever since Imai started ignoring me, I thought about her more than usual. She even stopped blackmailing me. But if she's going to ignore me, I'd rather have her blackmail me endlessly every single day of my life. I looked over at the real thing, not some other fake hallucination. Imai's waist-length ebony black hair covered her face as she worked on her invention. I wanted to know why she started ignoring me. I couldn't think of any reason why. She doesn't know my feelings for her, so she can't have been doing this to torture me. If I started thinking of reasons that could never happen though, I might be able to think of one. But then again, it could never happen, so what's the point? I sighed inwardly. I seemed to do a lot of sighing this past week. Wouldn't you, if the girl you loved started ignoring you for a reason you couldn't think up? She's a genius, yet she probably has never thought of the fact that I could ever love her. _Is she mad at me?_ I thought. I shook my head mentally. It's impossible. After all, think about it, what would she be mad at me for? If she is, I wouldn't know why. To me, it's truly not possible. I shut my eyes and leaned back into my desk chair, groaning. I felt eyes staring at me, but all I thought was, _Imai, what did I do?_

**OOO**

"Hotaru, are you alright? You haven't been yourself lately!" Oh, great. Even my idiot of a best friend knows something is wrong and trust me; she's not all that smart. No offense to her, of course. "I'm fine," I said emotionlessly. I'm surprised it came out right, considering all the emotion I'm feeling. Mikan had a worried look. "Are you sure? Do you want me to get Ruka-pyon?" she asked with a concerned tone. I looked at her in surprise. "Why would you want to get Nogi?" I asked. God, don't tell me she knows! With her big mouth, you can guarantee it will be around class and more in no time. "_Be-cause,_" Mikan said, emphasizing because,"Ruka-pyon seems sad that you're ignoring him! Didn't you know?" I stared at her weirdly. Ruka seemed sad that I ignored him? What, did the world end already? He hates me blackmailing him, and I'm pretty sure he hates me! "He…" I was at a loss of words. Who could blame me? You think you know a person, then bam! You find out that while you thought he would be happy you're ignoring him, he isn't. This world is crazy. "He…does?" Mikan nodded. She looked like a bobble-head, nodding like that. I looked at her strangely again. It must be a mistake. "It must be a misunderstanding. I mean, Nogi would never seem sad that I'm ignoring him," I said incredulously. Mikan, surprisingly, took me by the shoulders and shook me. I should have hit her with my baka gun, but I didn't. "But Hotaru, that's the thing! He _is_ sad! Didn't you see how miserable he looked for the past week? Don't tell me you didn't even spare him a glance!" He…did? I think Mikan's idiocy is rubbing off on me. I can't even speak. This is still not registering inside my brain. But I didn't spare him a glance, so how could I have known? Maybe…maybe it is true? No…It couldn't be. "Mikan," I was sounding desperate now, "maybe he seemed sad because of something else!" She shook me again. Oh, I really should have hit her with the baka gun. Seriously, just shaking me like that. It's like-nevermind. "No, Hotaru! It's because of the fact that you're ignoring him! Go talk to him, please!" she said urgently. I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. "But I can't keep that promise." I took myself forcefully from her grasp and ran to my dorm, tears threatening to fall once again. "Hotaru!" she shouted. I kept running. I can't talk to him, not now that he's broken my heart.

I walked through the hallway, hands in my pockets, head down and deep in thought. Usagi was running alongside me. All of a sudden I heard Mikan's voice, yelling, "Hotaru!" I wonder what happened to Imai…Without warning someone crashed into me from the side. We both fell down. I realized the person was a girl. As the girl sat up, I saw that it was Imai. She searched my eyes swiftly before whispering, sounding horrified, "Nogi." She stood up quickly and ran. Standing up, I wanted to call to her, but didn't. Instead, I watched her as she ran away. I sighed. I give up too easily. I'm an idiot. God, help this godforsaken, lovesick, delusional, demented person. Why delusional? Because I've dreamt and thought of being with Imai…which is something I know will never happen. As she rounded the corner, I turned on my heel and walked the opposite direction of Imai, forehead wrinkled in confusion. She really was acting peculiar lately. One, she stops blackmailing me. Two, she starts ignoring me. Three, she bumps into me, looks at me horror-struck, and runs away from me. I couldn't connect her ignoring me with anything. I feel like slapping myself repeatedly until my brain thinks of something else other than: I'm an idiot. I'm hopeless. I'm sad. I'm in love with Imai Hotaru. I'm-And so on. You get the point. I look around. No one's looking at me so…I slap myself. Ok…Mental note, slapping oneself hurts and does not work when trying to think properly. Ok…Ruka, you need to think of other methods. "Hmm…" _Maybe I should run into a tree…_I walk outside and go in front of a random tree. Just as I was about to run toward it, a voice said, "Ruka, what the hell are you doing?" It sounded a bit more like a statement than a question. Natsume. I stopped in my tracks, straightened up, sweatdropped and scratched my head sheepishly. "Um…Nothing, nothing at all. Why?" Natsume smirked at me. I gave him a awkward smile. If Natsume was Imai, she probably would have made a blunt statement, then smirk and call me an idiot. I don't need her to tell me that though…"Because it looks a lot like you're about to run into that tree," he said, smirking wider as he gestured his head towards the tree I was about to run into. Blunt, almost exactly like Imai. I sweatdropped again. "I wasn't!" I said, realizing only too late that I had said it more quickly than necessary. "I was just…uh…I just…you know…" I struggled for words. Another mental note: rehearse what to say in front of people in case they catch you about to run into a tree…Hmm, maybe I should get a notebook for this…

**Hotaru calls Ruka "Ruka" mentally, just to let u guys kno. Oh & I didn't feel lyk using any japanese words. Hope u guys r ok w/ tht. Oh & the eyes staring at Ruka b4 wasn't Hotaru, it was actually...you'll find out later. And on a random note, if u r 1 of my ****Bringing You Back ****readers, and I kno u kno tht the 1****st**** chap sez I'm 11, but not anymore. Random, huh? Anyway, I originally was going to make this a one-shot, but I think I'll make this into a 5 chaptered thing. The reason for this is so that I can continue both this and BYB without getting tired of them. Well, I can't keep all my RUKARU ideas in my head, you know. I already have quarter of a notebook filled with RUKARU summaries for future stories. Serious lack of Rukaru, it's such a tragedy. **

**P.S. I kno, I kno, I went from dark/hurt to less dark, to dark/sadness to slightly humorous. Bear with me, ppl. Oh, and here, Natsume and Hotaru r closer now, lyk bro-sis close. And there's something I didn't mention in the summary, but you'll figure it out l8r. No flaming plz, and take 2 mins 2 REVIEW!!!**


	2. Oblivious on Both Sides

**YAY! REVIEWS! Arigatou, ****.|neleenchan:3|., White-Monsoon! Anyway, here r the answers 4 ur wonderful reviews! (W/ comments included.)**

**.|neleenchan:3|.: Thx 4 reviewing my story! NEway, I never noticed I 4got the ages! Or mayB I did remember, but 4got…hmm…well, they r 14-15-16 here! 4 ex: Koko would B 14, Sumire would B 16, so on and so forth. Thx, I hope this story goes well & has lots of reviews! I don't kno how hard it is 2 B heartbroken, I'm only 12, after all :D. But I've read and seen enough romance…more than a 12 yr old kid needs 2 kno. So I kno…But I haven't felt it.**

**White-Monsoon****: Haha, I didn't put the 2****nd**** 1 yet bcuz it would take 4ever then. Also I didn't want Ruka 2 have a longer paragraph. :D. Didn't mean 2 B evil. LOL. I can feel u tellin me I am in ur review. LMAO. Thx 4 favoriting this story!**

**P.S. Underlined r actual members. Chek out White-Monsoon's story, ****Possessed.**** It's rlly interesting. Best of all, it's RUKARU! LOL. I'm sooo obsessed w/ them. Also, chek out Luckystar222's story, ****Missing.**** It's rlly good 2. Natsumikan & Rukaru. Gotta admit, though, I go more 4 Rukaru. LOL. I think it's obvious.**

**Srry 4 the 3 day l8 update. Mom didn't let me 4 the 1****st**** 2 days but yesterday I didn't get enough time…**

**And there will B Natsume, Koko & Sumire POV in this chap also.**

**U kno the disclaimer & everything…I DON'T OWN GA! (I own this twisted plot though.)**

I finally reached my dorm. Breathless and panting, I inserted a key into the keyhole of my room door, and, opening it, locked the door. I lay against the door, still gasping for air. I had never run so fast in my life. Ever since last week, since I was so distracted with trying not to cry, like other weeks, I stopped using the duck scooter. Heartbreak makes you forget to do things, or act the same, in my case, anyway. Then I realized something and froze. Holy shit, Koko. Why didn't I notice before? Since I hardly worked on my inventions since last week, and almost never paid attention in class, now that I think about it, probably 97% of my mind was focused on how heartbroken I was, making it easy for Koko to accidentally read my mind. I know that Koko wouldn't have meant it, if he had. Truth be told, Koko and I have become good friends. He respects me, and although he is still slightly scared of my inventions and whatnot, he wouldn't have meant to have read my mind-if he did. If…God, I'm actually _relying_ on hope. In addition to becoming emotional, I've also become some kind of hopeful amateur. What the hell. I rolled my eyes unconsciously and walked to my bed, lying on it with my back to the ceiling as I buried my face in one of my pillows. Then I lifted my head and whacked myself repeatedly with the pillow. "Why, why, why, why, why, why…" Each "why" was punctuated with a whack. Who'd ever thought that one day I would do this? Well, certainly not the person herself, I can tell you that. Oh, sure, I'm sort of out of it, in others' eyes, while in mine, I'm _completely_ out of it, but whacking myself on the head…Two words. 'Not' and 'normal'. Then again, that was before I had fallen for Ruka…I'm an idiot. A real, full-fledged idiot. Then I stopped whacking myself abruptly, and staring oddly at the pillow still in my hands said, "what, no tears?" I looked fricking paranoid. If someone had opened the door right now, (of course, if I hadn't locked it,) they would have thought I was talking to the pillow. _Hmm…_I thought. _If I don't see Ruka, most likely stuttering in front of Mikan again, maybe I become less dramatically, stupidly, idiotically emotional. _Well, that's good to know…If it's true. I'll have to try harder to avoid him. It's not just ignoring anymore.

"Actually, Ruka, I don't," Natsume said, still smirking, amusedly. "I _don't _know." The what to say thing is a really big mental note now. I'll get a notebook in Central Town later. "Well…uh…I…um…er…nevermind…" Natsume looked like he was choking back laughter. At what, I don't know. "Dude," he said. "Are you trying to commit suicide?" I looked at him like he was nuts. In this case, maybe he was. "No," I said incredulously. Why the hell would he think that? "It looks like it," he told me.

"I'm not. It's…It's different…"

"From the size of that tree, and how fast it looks like you're going to run, I still say suicide." I twitched as Natsume smirked more smugly.

Inwardly I grinned. I wanted him to confirm something, but I wasn't sure if it would work. Knowing my best friend, it was a 50/50 percent chance. But seeing him slightly twitching and the look on his face, it was a 52/48 percent chance now, maybe more. "Natsume, I'm not insane," Ruka said matter-of-factly, "which means that I'm not trying to commit suicide. Now drop the subject." As Ruka said the last sentence, he sounded…disheartened, like he's actually going to tell me what I want to know. He was also slightly sweating. This will be easy. I just need to give him a little push. So to speak, I decide to make him more nervous than he already was. He's going to admit it soon enough, I can feel it. "So why the hell are you about to run into a tree?" I turned it around on him, instead of saying, 'so why the hell do you look like you're about to run into a tree?' and whatever else, I made it sound like he actually was going to run into the tree. He's so nervous; he doesn't even suspect a thing. "Do you really want me to tell you?" Ruka said with a pleading look on his face. He looked so desperate; he might as well have bent down and said, 'please, do not make me tell you, Natsume-sama!' I'm not joking. "Yup," I replied. I respect my best friend's privacy, but I seriously need this confirmed. "Well…The thing is…I…I was trying to clear my mind…of some thoughts…" That's probably true, but he's avoiding something.

"…Because?" I urged. Ruka sighed heavily. Oh, he's going to tell me alright.

"Because…Because Imai's ignoring me," he said finally. Still something missing, but we're getting there.

"…And that would bother you…why?" I said slowly. Ruka took a deep breath.

"Because…" He started over. "I'm trying to find out why she's ignoring me because…" He took another breath. This is it. "Because…The truth is…I…I l-love her." Bingo. I grinned.

"Knew it."

"_**WHAT?!**_" Ruka's nervous and embarrassed expression turned disbelieving. Nice reaction. If I was Imai, I would have taken a picture. Hey, even if he was confessing to her, Imai still would have taken a picture of his obviously blushing face.

Well, that's what I thought, anyway.

But I didn't know she would have had a different reaction.

I heard a knock on my door. I got up and going to the door, said, "Who is it?" Apparently, ever since last week, I stopped being lazy. I mean, I didn't ask my robots to open the door anymore. "It's Sumire and Koko," the muffled voice of Sumire said. I think I already know what this is about. Crap. I opened the door halfway. "What?" I asked. Sumire had also become a good friend of mine. Koko and Sumire were two of the people I could really trust. "Look, we know what's up," Koko said. Oh, how typical of the guy.

"I think I figured that out already, the fact that it was possible that you had read my mind, I mean, around the time I whacked myself repeated with a pillow, saying, 'why' punctuated with a whack each time I said it." They looked at me weirdly. "You…whacked yourself with a pillow," Koko repeated slowly. I nodded, sighing. I know what's going to happen. Wait for it…

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He started laughing uncontrollably. So, so typical. Sumire had to hold Koko. He was close to falling from laughing so hard. Even though she kept a straight face, I could tell that Sumire was holding back laughter. "You gotta be kidding me!" Koko managed as he laughed. "Hotaru Imai, whack-" I shoved them both into my room before he could continue, bolting the door up again. Hey, people were staring at my idiotic jackass of a friend. I have a reason for calling him a jackass at the moment. "–herself with a pillow!" he continued, gasping for air as he clutched his sides. "That's hilarious! I never thought I would hear it, especially from the person herself!" Finally, Sumire collapsed in giggles. "Get up, you idiot," I told Koko in mock stern.

"I can't help it! It's so unlike you!"

"No, seriously, get up."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, I'll hit you with the Baka Bazooka 2000."

"Fine, fine, wait…" Koko laughed for about seven more minutes, then got up, still laughing in his mind I bet. His face is so damn red. "Ok, so…now what?" I asked him.

"Let's start over," Sumire suggested.

"Ok, but take the pillow part out," Koko said. His face became redder. I bet he's holding the laughter in.

"Koko," I said matter-of-factly. Koko held up his hands.

"Ok, ok! No need to hit me with the Baka Bazooka!"

"I wasn't going to."

"Oh."

"So that's all you can say." I sighed. "Tell me why you're here."

"But you already know."

"Yeah, sure, then you end up laughing like some deranged maniac." Koko scratched his head sheepishly.

"Well…We know that-" He cleared his throat. "You're…ahem…suffering from…eh…_heartbreak_." He looked disturbed. "Your point is…?"

"Well…we wanted to help you in some way," Sumire voiced.

"That's all very good, but how? Face it; Ru-Nogi still likes Mikan. I have to accept it."

Sumire and Koko looked at each other.

_What the hell?! I knew she loved him, and I knew he loved her back, but are you kidding me?!?! Hotaru, you oblivious ninny-butt, Ruka was over Mikan by the time he turned thirteen! THIRTEEN! He was fricking over her before he was damn thirteen! What the hell have you been doing the past three years?! We knew love was not your thing, but to not know at __least__ that he was over Mikan!!! You have to fricking pay attention! He liked her for only two years, and then _you_ came along to save him from loneliness! GEEZ!!! _I thought. Sumire was thinking the same thing. "What do you mean?" we said.

"Oh, like you two haven't noticed that Nogi keeps stuttering in front of Mikan; blushing and flirting and whatnot."

_I can't believe how oblivious you are, _Sumire thought. I silently agreed with her.

"Flirting?" Sumire said dubiously. Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"Duh. Are you telling me you two haven't noticed?"

_He's not flirting with Mikan! He's so in love with you that his mind makes him think every girl he sees is you! With you ignoring him, it only makes him hallucinate more! _I wanted to shout. Sadly I didn't It would have been a good wake up call. I inwardly sighed. An oblivious genius. How ironic.

**OOO**

**The next day…**

"Good morning everyone!" Narumi said cheerfully. _Well, at least he's wearing something normal. _Hey, you can't blame me. Sometimes his outfits are way too extreme. "Good morning," a few people replied. He looked happier than normal. Well, I think so. "I have great news!" He continued in the same cheerful tone. Some people listened, but there were others who talked, or did their own things. I swear he's going to dance. "Which is…?" Someone prodded. "The School Festival is coming soon!" Suddenly, the people who were talking changed the topic of their conversation to the Festival. I suddenly had an idea. "Sumire," I whispered urgently. She immediately turned to me. "What, Koko?" She asked me. I grinned mischievously at her with a twinkle in my eyes. The thought of it made me want to laugh like an evil scientist. "I have a plan," I said to her, my grin getting slightly wider every second. "About what?" She asked. She probably knew who I was talking about, but decided to ask anyway to confirm what she was thinking. I bet you that she was thinking about the two people I was thinking about. "Ruka and Hotaru." Slowly, I grinned back at him. _I think I'm going to like this…_ She thought. "You will, Sumire, you will." Then I heard a thought from a certain fire-caster, who was thinking, _I seriously need Ruka to confess to Hotaru._ I grinned wider. "Hey, Natsume!" Natsume turned to me, closing his manga and putting in on his desk.

"What?" He said. My mind was bursting with ideas.

"Meet me after class," was all I said to him. He nodded and resumed reading his manga. "Sumire, come with me after class, okay?" She nodded. "I think Natsume can help us. But I don't think we should tell him Hotaru's feelings yet…" Sumire looked at me inquiringly. "It will make things a whole lot more interesting." She nodded again, like she had just realized something.

**After class, with Ruka…**

I walked nowhere in particular, Usagi on my shoulder. I was stumped. Why? Here's a list…

1. The girl I love is ignoring me.

2. I can't figure out a reason-that would make sense-why she would ignore me.

3. Somehow, I didn't have the courage to talk to her.

4. Every time I had the courage to go up to her, she would run away or hide.

5. Every time I had a chance to talk to her, she would search my eyes before running away, making me more miserable as I looked in her eyes.

6. It seems like she has disappeared from some of her friends, since now she has two groups: The group who could talk to without them giving her away, and the group that wouldn't see her except in class. Some of her friends are trying to get her to talk to me, you see.

That's why, but I swear I could put more reasons. I wonder what would happen if I tried to tell her I love her. I sighed…again. This was so confusing, and trust me, Hotaru Imai is way more confusing than any other girl. Some times I was grateful for that-like the fact that she isn't a fan girl. Because if she was, I'd hate to think of what would have happened. Other times I wasn't-like when she blackmails me. But that was before. Then I was okay with it, because then I could see her and spend time with her...Even if sometimes it consisted of me in a towel…I blushed. Now, I would give anything for her to blackmail me. I wanted her to talk to me. I sighed again. I'm a fricking hopeless case. Damn it.

Then I heard voices. Voices that were familiar to me. I looked up. I saw Natsume, Koko and Sumire talking. I walked up to them. They know about my problem. Besides, I need something to distract me from thoughts of Imai. "Hi," I whispered glumly. They whipped around to face me. "Oh! Ruka-kun, hi!" Sumire said, greeting me with a smile. Koko gave me a nod with his trademark smile on. "Hey," he said, giving me a small wave. I gave him a nod back. "Hello. So what are you guys talking about?" I asked, attempting to lighten the awkward situation. They all looked at each other, with something hidden beneath their eyes, something that I couldn't make out. "Oh," Koko said. "We were just talking about how to get Kitsuneme and Yuu together with Anna and Nonoko." I nodded, understanding. "Oh," I replied. Then I realized something. Why would_ Natsume _be in this? This isn't a Natsume thing to do, if you know what I mean. I cocked an eyebrow. "So…Why is Natsume in this?" I asked curiously. They looked at each other again. "Well…" Koko started nervously. He looked hopefully at Sumire, probably by way of asking for help. "You see…" Sumire continued uncertainly. Natsume just stood there, looking confident. All of a sudden, he said, "we can't really tell you why, Ruka. There's something else included in this." Natsume looked at them, and I could swear that I heard the other two sigh in relief. I shrugged it off. Coincidence, maybe? "Ok," I gave them a nod. Suddenly finding the situation awkward again, I said, "well, um, bye you guys." I walked away. This thing is starting to effect me too much again, like at night when no one knows how hard I've been thinking of this.

I flopped down on my bed, exhausted but excited. I wonder if everything will go according to plan…or just enough of it…Because if this doesn't work, I'd hate to think of what would happen. My happiness faded a bit at that thought. _What if…_Oh no.

**So, that's chap 2! I personally love this chapter. Hehe. Hotaru's so oblivious. Hope you lyk this chap as much as I do. Keep the reviews coming, ppl! :D Praise, encouragements, comments, questions and suggestions would help and are greatly appreciated. But plz don't flame! Thx!**


	3. 000: Explanation, Please Read

**Hi guys…I`ll update 2morrow or the day after…LMAO I broke my 3 day separation updates. My mom wants me 2 translate 20 pgs of my (French) social textbook online…T.T *sweatdrop* It totally sucks, so while she's not looking I`m doing this. Nxt xhapter is long…I`m only in half of it and already 2155 words! Well, here`s a preview…**

But I never told him. Because I was too much of a coward to do so. Sighing, I lazily leaned back in my chair. Mikan came in, but I immediately zoned out, listening to the music (which had changed to Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory) and staring blankly at the board. Besides, she's going to yell in my ear to-"HOTARU!!!" Holy shit. Guess I zoned out enough to block out her insanely loud scream of, "GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!" Unfortunately, I couldn't block out her shouting my name in my ear, like she had done so many times since last week. If this keeps up, I'll go deaf. I knew what she was going to ask. But this time, I think I'll actually cry, yet…I don't know why. Maybe, the more days that pass by…the more I want to cry. I tried to take my mind off the image of Ruka…and Mikan…together…

**THX!**


	4. Hopeless

**July 11 2009**

**Get ready 4 2 long A/N's and a long chapter!**

**Ok, I think I should start over with the thank u's. Just want 2 feel grateful. Hehe, the story I lyk more has more hits! **

**The ppl who favorited: ****White-Monsoon**** and ****Forever and Always Anime Lover/Chattykitkat**

**The ppl who alerted: ****Forever and Always Anime Lover/Chattykitkat**** and ****9'-'sachiko-chan'-'9**

**The ppl who reviewed: ****White-Monsoon****, ****.|neleenchan:3|. () and ****Forever and Always Anime Lover**

**THX GUYS! U ROCK! As always, underlined r actual members.**

**Comments and review replies:**

**.|neleenchan:3|. (), yeah, I'm 12…Hmm, my writing style also surprises ppl, I guess, in addition 2 my height. LMAO, but ppl always think I'm older than I am cuz I'm tall…*sweatdrop* Shorter ppl hav more advantages, tht's wat I always say. Being 5 foot 6 ½ does not help w/ things lyk weeds…I hate picking those fricking weeds…LMAO. It especially does not help wen u've been 12 4 only 10 days…O.o**

**BTW, wat r the confusing things abt it? I kno it sorta is, but I don't kno wats confusing 4 u.**

**Forever and Always Anime Lover, u suggested 2 put POV's. Well, I thought of doing tht, and so I didn't kno y I didn't NEway, here r the POV's, in case u wer confused.**

**Chap 1: Hotaru, Ruka, Hotaru, Ruka.**

**Chap 2: Hotaru, Ruka, Natsume, Hotaru, Koko, Ruka, Sumire.**

**In case u don't know their parts, here it is: 4 Chap 1, each paragraph meant a change of POV. 4 chap 2, it wz:**

**Hotaru: 'I finally reached my dorm' to 'It's not just ignoring anymore.'**

**Ruka: '"Actually, Ruka, I don't," Natsume said, still smirking, amusedly' to 'I twitched as Natsume smirked more smugly.'**

**Natsume: 'Inwardly I grinned' to 'But I didn't know she would have had a different reaction.'**

**Hotaru: 'I heard a knock on my door' to 'Koko and Sumire looked at each other.'**

**Koko: '**_**What the hell?!**_**' to 'She nodded again, like she just realized something.'**

**Ruka: 'After class, with Ruka…' to 'This thing is starting to affect me too much again, like at night when no one knows how hard I've been thinking of this.'**

**Sumire: 'I flopped down on my bed, exhausted but excited' to '**_**What if…**_**Oh no.'**

**Oh, if no one noticed, I put, 'Slowly, I grinned back at him' instead of, 'Slowly, she grinned back at me.' I was rushing, bcuz my mom's unpredictable. Lyk, nxt thing u kno, ur doing the dishes while she's on the computer. I noticed, tht tht could hav made ppl think it was Sumire POV…or sum1 else. Dunno. **

**NEway, here's the story! Enjoy and review! (Or NEthing else…)**

**HotaruPOV**

I entered the classroom, looked around briefly and walked forward to sit in my seat. Instead of doing what I usually did when I came in-work on an invention, read, and occasionally write-I took out my new invention, which was sort of like an I-pod or MP3, and turned it on, putting on earplugs. The song When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne came on. Not the song I wanted to listen to. I think it's pretty obvious that it was related to my heartbreak, not like he noticed, and if he did, cared. I switched the song. Now it was Better in Time. I changed it again. Three times the charm, right? Crushed by Elise Estrada. It was still a breakup song, but as much as it relates, I'm not sure how many times I'd have to change the song. So, I listened to it, closing my eyes. I just listened to the beat, the flow, the rhythm, and the words. I missed the old days. The days when I could blackmail him freely without wanting to blush furiously…The days when I didn't love _him. _The days when…when I could handle him liking Mikan…In public, anyway…

**Flashback, one week ago (w/ Crushed lyrics):**

"_IMAI!!!" Ruka went after me, soaring through the air with the help of his eagle. "GIVE ME MY PICTURES!" I turned around in my duck scooter, smirking. I loved him, sure, but I could handle myself…when no one was looking. "Why?" I asked, smirking like hell as I raised a teasing eyebrow. "Please Imai, just this once!" He looked at me pleadingly. My eyes widened slightly, I could feel them widening, I could tell. I blushed a bit, hiding it with my hair. He…I really did love him, not just for looks. It was everything about him, his personality, his looks, the way he cares for all of his friends…Everything. The look on his face…It made me blush for unexplainable reasons, except one. And that was that I loved him._

_**I told myself, today was gonna be the day,  
No more excuses cause I knew exactly what to say,  
Was gonna make my play, but just like yesterday,  
My mind erased, and I let the moment slip away **_

"_Imai?" He looked at me worriedly. "Are…Are you…okay?" I blushed again and looked down, embarrassed. What if he found out? My bangs covered my eyes. I must have been out of it for a long time. "Uh…I…I'm…I'm okay…" I stammered nervously. His gaze was unnerving…Like he really worried. Maybe he was, just not in the way he would worry for Mikan. It almost made me break down, the thought of it. I shoved the pictures into his hands, not looking at him. "I…I have to go…B-Bye, Nogi." With that, I zoomed away._

_**RukaPOV (he's listening to the song too and thinking of the same memory)**_

_I…I didn't understand. Did I…Did I do something…wrong?_

_**Another night got me sitting here all on my own,  
Pickin' up the phone, but I can't get past her dial tone,  
Rackin' my brain, goin' insane,  
Again and Again, I can't be goin' this way...**___

_She'd never do this. And when I say never, I mean never. So what happened? I watched her go away, forgetting I was still in midair. Being concerned about the girl you love does that to you…In my case._

"_RUKA-PYON!!!" Holy, that surprised me. I almost fell…Almost. Well, actually, I did, but the eagle caught me. It makes sense! I mean, who does that? Ok, weird question, since Mikan just did. Obviously, no one else calls me Ruka-pyon in a girl voice. I asked the eagle to set me down. I wondered what made her run away…_

_**HotaruPOV**_

_I got down from my duck scooter, running away. I didn't know why I went away…Maybe it was taking over me, emotion. I never chose to love him. I hate this, I really do. But no matter how hard I try, I can't hate him. Because he was the one I loved._

_**Crushed,  
By the sweetest lips I've never kissed,  
and your fingertips,  
And the warmest touch that I've always missed,  
Crushed,  
By the softest hands I've never held,  
But I'd never tell,  
Your the strongest love that I've ever felt**_

_Yeah, it hurt…a lot. But I could handle it…Couldn't I?_

_**RukaPOV**_

_I talked to Mikan, but my mind was on Imai the whole time. I really was worried. Imai made me forget my love for Mikan._

_**Crushed, that I haven't ever let you know,  
How it always goes, cause I lose my mind whenever you get close,  
and so I'm left, short of breath, with that heavy feelin' in my chest,  
Baby I'm so crushed...**_

_I didn't love Mikan anymore…_

_**HotaruPOV**_

_I lay down on my bed. I thought for a while._

_Then I made a decision._

_**So I tell myself that tomorrow's gonna be the day,  
and I keep on tellin' myself that I'm gonna find a way,  
and I won't be afraid, just like yesterday,  
Won't walk away,  
Never gonna let another chance slip away**_

_I'm not going to let another chance slip._

_I'm going to tell him._

_**RukaPOV**_

_I found out I didn't…weeks ago, months ago, years ago…_

_**Cause I gotta know, whichever way it's gonna go,  
Rest my heart and soul cause I can never be no more,  
Rackin' my brain, goin' insane,  
Again and Again,  
I won't keep goin' this way...**_

_I was completely sure of it…I love Hotaru Imai, and I don't care what anyone says._

_**Hotaru and Ruka POV**_

_**Crushed,  
By the sweetest lips I've never kissed,  
and your fingertips,  
And the warmest touch that I've always missed,  
Crushed,  
By the softest hands I've never held,  
But I'd never tell,  
Your the strongest love that I've ever felt,  
Crushed, that I haven't ever let you know,  
How it always goes, cause I lose my mind whenever you get close,  
and so I'm left, short of breath, with that heavy feelin' in my chest,  
Baby I'm so crushed...**_

_I'm going to say it as soon as I see him/her…and this time, I'm not backing out._

**END FLASHBACK**

But I never told him. Because I was too much of a coward to do so. Sighing, I lazily leaned back in my chair. Mikan came in, but I immediately zoned out, listening to the music (which had changed to Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory) and staring blankly at the board. Besides, she's going to yell in my ear to-"HOTARU!!!" Holy shit. Guess I zoned out enough to block out her insanely loud scream of, "GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY!" Unfortunately, I couldn't block out her shouting my name in my ear, like she had done so many times since last week. If this keeps up, I'll go deaf. I knew what she was going to ask. But this time, I think I'll actually cry, yet…I don't know why. Maybe, the more days that pass by…the more I want to cry. I tried to take my mind off the image of Ruka…and Mikan…together…

"What?" I asked. My voice wasn't even stoic. It was just…normal. A lot of people were surprised, even if some of them noticed I was a bit out of it. Mikan crossed her arms and looked at me pointedly, like I should already know what she was going to ask…which I did. "Talk to Ruka-pyon, or I swear, I will-"I was getting anxious. But she couldn't know…why, I don't even know why she shouldn't. "Will what? Look, Mikan, I can't, I really, really can't talk to him…Not anymore." My tone was desperate. I didn't want to talk about this. I really didn't. But she looked at me and said, clearly worried and curious, "why? What happened between the two of you? You haven't talked to him, blackmailed him, looked at him, spied on him, anything. Everyone agrees, too. What happened?" She uncrossed her arms. Then I noticed that everyone was looking at us now. "Mikan," Sumire spoke up. She had the same tone as I did, but stronger. I l whipped my head around to look at her. She must have known I was really that desperate. "Please, _please_ don't ask." Mikan looked at Sumire inquiringly. `Why not? I think I deserve the right to know. I'm her best friend, after all."

"But this is something I know she'd rather not be reminded of, let alone let you know."

"So are you saying that you know? And if you do, that you have a right to know? That you wouldn't remind her of it, whatever it is? That her own best friend is not allowed to know the reason she's ignoring another person who's her friend, but you are?" Mikan's voice rose. One thing passed through my mind: Argument. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I_ do_ know. I_ won't _remind her of it. In fact, I can actually_ help_ her. I never said that you couldn't know, all I implied was that I don`t think she`s ready to tell another person. I know you, Mikan Sakura. You'd talk about it everyday, even if you talk about it when you don't think she's listening. What if she was listening?" Sumire stood up, crossing her arms. "And so, now you're saying I'm not trustworthy?" Mikan's voice was getting unusually high, rising an octave or so. "Damn it, Mikan. Don't be a drama queen. This is serious. Hotaru deserves privacy." Mikan glowered. "So answer me. Why do you know?" Mikans voice got low and dangerous. Oh come on. She shouldn't be like this right now. Then again, she didn't know the situation I was in. Mentally I sighed. "I know," Sumire's voice also went low, "because Koko read it in her mind accidentally and told me. And I'm trying to help her because she's my friend, in addition to the fact that she's letting me and Koko actually help her. It's all she's been thinking of. Koko and I know that if we ever talk about it, it's not going to be in front of her. We're both sure of it. So please, Mikan, we're begging you, don't pursue the subject. Please, Mikan, don't ask her about it until she's ready to tell you." Sumire was hopeful, I knew that much. Mikan looked at Sumire, who had uncrossed her arms, and said, "I'll try not to. I'm just worried, that's all. I don't want some showdown going on between the two." She smiled a bit. "Are you kidding me?" Sumire said jokingly, cracking a smile. Mikan smiled back, widely, and they hugged each other. "Sorry," Mikan said, as they let go of each other. She looked at Sumire, then me, then Koko. We all smiled reassuringly at her. "You were worried. It's fine," Sumire said, still smiling.

"Thanks."

"Sumire, Hotaru," Koko whispered, sounding horror-struck, "look." He nodded towards the door. Sumire, Mikan and I turned our heads towards the door. What the…It was Natsume and Ruka. Oh…Oh no. Sumire looked at me, horrified. Mikan looked a bit confused. I tried to keep my stoic face, but my eyes widened in shock. Ruka looked surprised, curious, and gloomy all at the same time. Natsume had a devilish look on his face, but at the same time looked stunned. Please, don't tell me they heard. "What did you hear?" Koko asked, voicing my thoughts, and most likely Sumire's and his own also. Obviously Koko respects Natsume also, as friends, since he asked the question. But he only read probably red our minds. There's a chance we were too obvious…Which was what we probably were. "Everything," Natsume answered. _No…_ Natsume is less clueless than Ruka…He's smart enough to figure out the truth. I ran out of the classroom. This can't be happening. I won't be able to take it if people find out the truth. I'll be hearing about it everyday, then. I turned a corner and sat, my back against the wall. I looked up, thinking why I had to deserve this. I tried to stop the prickling tears. Reminders, they're all reminders.

**SumirePOV**

_No, no, no, no, no….Please don't tell me this is happening._ _Great, just damn great._ I ran after Hotaru. Don't tell me she's going to breakdown. I saw her after rounding a corner. She was sitting down, so I sat down beside her. "If you want to cry, go cry," I told her, smiling at her reassuringly. She shook her head.

"It's enough, yet it's not. Not yet, not yet will I cry," she told me, smiling a bit, but not facing me, almost tearily. She was facing the other wall while she was talking. "I'll try not to think about it…"

"When will you…When do you think you will…?" I asked, nervously.

"Depends on what happens next time…"

"Ok, but remember, we're here for you, even people like Mikan, who doesn't know anything about it." Hotaru smiled a bit wider. "Thanks, Sumire. I know you'll be there for me. And I know others will be, too."

**KokoPOV**

I put my head in my hands. Who knows what Sumire's dealing with? A crying Hotaru, a mad Hotaru, a vulnerable Hotaru, a peaceful Hotaru, a normal Hotaru, an emotional Hotaru….Bah, Ruka's hopeless.

"What…What was that about?" Ruka asked, looking out the door, where Hotaru and Sumire had ran out. He was, obviously, shocked. "Think nothing of it," I said, Mikan saying the same thing, who finished a few seconds after. "But…But I have to know! Why can't you, Koko, or Sumire tell Mikan why Imai's ignoring me?! In fact, _why_ is she ignoring me?" I shook my head. He's oblivious too, isn't he? Well, now that I think about it, Hotaru doesn't give big hints…Not all the time. But Sumire and I will get Ruka and Hotaru together…With a bit of help from Natsume. "We can't tell you that. It's something you have to figure out for yourself. Sorry, Ruka, but we really can't." He sighed. "Come on, Koko! I'm _dying _here!" He pleaded. The expression on his face…One word: Priceless. I cracked a smile. "And we all know why, don't we? Think about it, what don't you have the courage to tell her? Maybe it's the same as what she can't tell you." I gave him a clue. I hope this is all over soon. We all have our reasons for not telling Ruka Hotaru feels the same as he does.

**The next day, HotaruPOV**

I took a deep breath. I was near the front of the classroom doorway, where no one could see me. "Just enter, Hotaru. You can face it," I whispered to myself. I entered the classroom. Thankfully, yesterday's news wasn't the topic…from what I could hear.

I walked over to Sumire and Koko, who were talking. "Hi," they said. I managed a small wave.

"It's not the topic," Koko said. I sat beside Sumire. You see, our row was like this. Mikan-Ruka-Natsume-Me-Sumire-Koko.

"In a way, I'm surprised."

"You should be. We are too."

"No duh, idiot." I smiled at Koko teasingly. He smiled back.

**Near, RukaPOV**

I looked at Ho-Imai, Sumire and Koko. I was really curious now, having heard the conversation/argument going on yesterday. Life's a bitch, a real bitch. I leaned back, crossing my arms grumpily. "Ruka-pyon!" Mikan whined from beside me, "come _on_!" I looked at her.

"Huh? What?"

Mikan sighed exasperatedly. "You're too gloomy."

"Um…" I didn't know what to say. "…So?" Great, Ruka. What a _great_ response. (Note the sarcasm.)

"It's Hotaru, isn't it?" Is Mikan getting less dense or something? I mean, no offense, she was always dense, sure, but now I think she's improving…the good way, I mean. Not the she's becoming more dense way. In my case though, it's bad…

"Yes…" I replied, reluctantly.

"Well, then?" She demanded.

"What?" I don't get it, I really don't.

"Why are you…?"

Oh, now I get it. "Mikan…you don't know?"

"Know what?" She looked confused. Still dense, but not completely, I guess.

"You know…" I lowered my voice. "I like Hotaru…" I took out the love…she's dating Natsume, sure, but who knows? "YOU DO?! OH MY GOSH, RUKA-PYON, I _NEVER _KNEW!!!" She squealed. Everyone looked at us. I put my face in my hands. Great…

"Oi, idiot, lower it down. You'll wake up the dead," Natsume said from between me and Hotaru. Thank you, Natsume. "I'm not an idiot, Natsume!" Natsume smirked.

"Yeah right."

"I'M NOT AN IDIOT!!!"

"That's what they all say…I mean, that's what_ you_ say." He smirked again.

"HEY!"

**That afternoon…**

"I hate this damned…" I kept muttering incoherent things under my breath. Completely damned, that's what my life is. "OH NO!!! Damn it, damn it! It's going to explode!" A girl screamed. I hardly noticed the fact that she was running my way.

**CRASH!**

The girl bumped into me, landing on top of me. Truthfully, the girl had long, straight indigo hair in a black headband with a bow and blue-green eyes, but I saw a girl with waist length midnight black hair curled slightly at the tips with lavender eyes that looked like amethysts instead. I looked at her for a long time, but then I heard a gasp. I looked at where the sound had came from, but the person was gone. I caught a glimpse of who it was, and there was no mistaking it. It was Hotaru Imai.

The girl waved a hand in front of my face. "Hello? Um, can you pass me my bag? We're stuck together." I snapped out of it. "Oh, ok, hi." I gave her her bag.

"Thanks." She took out a gray bottle and drank a bit of it. Immediately she got off me and dusted herself off. Then she gave me a hand. "Thanks. So…who are you?"

"Me? I'm Mikio Yamamoto. Ruka Nogi, right?"

"Yeah, that's me. Well, nice to meet you, Mikio. I have to go…chase after someone…"

Mikio smiled knowingly. "You like-or love-that girl, don't you? Well, if things don't work out, I'm a pretty good matchmaker. Just ask."

I smiled. "Thanks again, bye."

"Bye." We walked our separate ways. Now that was done, I have to know why Hotaru just ran out like that…

**HotaruPOV**

I ran to my room and fell face down on the bed. I knew it. I probably interrupted his make-out session between him and that girl. I don't resent the girl, though. The thought of the two together made me want to cry. Who cares anymore? Holding the emotion won't do anything. So I gave up. I cried. It wasn't enough to let it all out, but it would do, for now.

**NatsumePOV**

I walked casually to my dorm without a care in the world. I saw an open door. Who would leave their door open like that? I peered in, and I was glad I did, because there I saw Hotaru with her face down on her bed. She was shaking. I neared her. "Hotaru?" She looked up at me, slowly, and I was surprised to see tears. She had been crying. Then I realized what yesterday was about, because today I had seen a girl on top of Ruka.

I realized what my best friend had done.

I realized what Hotaru really felt.

I realized because it had been confirmed.

It wasn't a one-sided love.

**In the flashback, she didn't ignore him after tht. She blackmailed him, talked to him a bit, then two days before the end of the week she stopped altogether because she saw Ruka blushing in front of/flirting a bit with/stammering in front of Mikan. Then she almost broke down. Srry 4 making Hotaru so obliviously fragile, but it makes the story work so…yeah.:D**

**When Ruka sed, "****Why can't you, Koko, or Sumire" he meant Koko by you, implying tht he wasn't talking abt Mikan…Just in case u got confused. I would hav, at 1****st****…then I would read tht part agen…eventually I would get it…**

**EXPLANATION ON THE SONG: The 1****st**** part means tht she wanted to tell him why she blackmails him, which is that she loves him. The 2****nd**** part is lyk…he wants to tell Hotaru the truth too, but whenever he calls her, he goes away because he's so worried tht she won't accept him The 3****rd**** part Hotaru describes Ruka a bit, hoping she won't be crushed when she finally tells him. 4****th**** part means he wants to tell her rlly, rlly bad but whenever he tries to, when she gets near him, he suddenly can't breathe. The heavy feeling is anxiousness and nervousness. It means he's sort of crushed bcuz he never gets the courage to tell her the truth. The 5****th**** part means she's not going to stall anymore, and she rlly is going to tell him…But it's sorta obvious there…The 6****th**** part means tht Ruka wants to kno her reaction, bcuz if he doesn't tell her, he'll go crazy, and tht he doesn't want to keep stalling. 7****th**** part means tht they r basically determined to tell the other. I just did the flashback 4 fun :D And I changed the lyrics a bit to fit their gender. Do u want this or HotaruPOV w/ this song or RukaPOV with Crush by David Archuleta? Bcuz I could add othr versions of this chapter, u kno…Also I only did a little more than half of the song. The Sumire-Mikan argument type thing was dramatically **_**weird**_** don't u think? I think I did that 4 fun or because I needed 2 do sumthin so tht…Ok,not going to reveal NEthing. So weird, sumtimes it turns out completely different…The words 4 the argument thing is practically the same, but Sumire wz supposed 2 get really mad at Mikan, then Mikan wz supposed 2 almost blow up…Hmm…**

**Duuuuddde…I 4got 2 mention Natsume and Mikan were dating…Hmm, I seem 2 B repeating sum things, hey?**

**I also kno the ending of this chap was too quick, but I HAD to!**


	5. Plan

**This is chap 4!**

**Thanks 2 ****animeotakupooh**** and ****Hina the half heart**** 4 adding this story in her/his favorites! Also thanks to .|neleenchan:3|. 4 reviewing YET AGAIN! And lastly, thanks 2 ****White-Monsoon**** 4 recommending this story! AND thanks to ****Joanie-who-loves-you****, who did absolutely everything that was possible!!! :D I love you guys!**

**.|neleenchan:3|.: Oh, so tht's y…Well, I put POV now, so it's ok…Glad u lykd the chapter! *laughs* Yea, I got addicted 2 it 2…Haha.**

**Joanie-who-loves-you:**** I have no idea why, but ur review cracked me up, at the same time it made me have big eyes and my mouth could reach the floor. LOL. **

**Hey, any1 mind telling me why this story is so amazing? LOL. I mean seriously, ****Joanie-who-loves-you**** said, and I quote (part of it), "BLOODY BRILLIANT." And THEN ****White-Monsoon**** said, I quote (part of it), "it's amazing!" Which u won't find it reviews...recommendation, remember. Hey, I don't regret it, I just want to know how…**

**Srry 4 not updating! My family's laptop lost connection 4 so long…It wz such a frigging pain…**

**Also, I kno ther r mistakes though no 1 has told me yet, srry 4 tht 2. (Curse u Microsoft…) It's FF's fault for not making it work and it's Microsoft's fault for not being good enough. XD.**

**Well, luckily I'm not gonna talk so much this chapter…Except for the actual chapter! I think…Sum ppl r joining me now in author's notes…I predict pleading fr characters! Hahaha. If u want Mikio's info go 2 my prof…I'm also adding another OC. :D**

**Natsume: *comes out of nowhere with hands in pockets* **

**Me: *notices Natsume* What the hell are you doing here?**

**Natsume: *Shrugs* Nothing.**

**Me: *Smiles evilly***

**Natsume: *Sweatdrop***

**Me: I know…you're here because you want to ask me in the rudest way you can-so as not to arouse suspicion-if you're going to have a moment with Mikan. Also translated as, "Hey, I'm here 'cause I want to have a moment with Mikan, and if you don't let me kiss her in the most perverted way I can, I'll burn you." Sorry, Natsume. I'm already suspicious. I see through your plans. I'm not stupid, you know.**

**Natsume: *Sits on a chair that comes out of nowhere, blushes but tries to hide it* I'm definitely not here to ask for a moment with that baka. *Thinks* **_**That very cute baka…**_

**Me: *Smirks* I can see you blushing.**

**Hotaru: *Comes out of nowhere, smirks while standing beside me* Hyuuga, I can see you blushing too, you know. *Faces me* You know what, you're better than Mikan. Unlike her, you are actually smart. You use your brain instead of jump at me.**

**Me: *Grins* Thanks, Hotaru. Not so bad yourself. Oh, what am I saying? You're my favourite GA character. *Looks at Natsume* I know you want to know if you have a moment with Mikan, so Natsume, just check my profile, it will show you all the couples.**

**Ruka: *Comes out of nowhere* Hi Natsume, Niko-chan, Hotaru… *Blushes when he looks at Hotaru***

**Hotaru: Baka. *Blushes***

**Me: *Rubbing hands evilly, thinks* **_**This is great! Muhawhawha! **_**Oh, Ruka-kun, I know you also want your big moment with Hotaru-chan. Well, as a big fan of the RukaRu couple, I'll make you have an intense-or passionate as you might want to say-moment with her. Don't worry, you can devour her all you want.**

**Ruka and Hotaru: *Blushes furiously but tries to hide it***

**Ruka: Ne, Ni-Niko-chan…Will…Will you not say it that way?**

**Me: Come on! You want to kiss her so bad…We all know it…Except maybe Hotaru and especially Mikan…**

**Hotaru: You may be smart, but you're the type of smart person that is a baka at the same time. *Blushes* Me and Nogi?**

**Me: *Smiles innocently but they know I'm hiding something* Of course! Didn't you see the summary and the other chapters of the story? Haha, you're only calling me a baka because you want to hide the fact that you want to thank me. Hehehe…**

**Hotaru: *Points baka gun at me, still blushing***

**Koko: *Comes beside me and saves me from wrath of baka gun* Hi.**

**Me: *Not scared* Hi Koko…Maybe I have some kind of presence alice. I wasn't surprised at all! Anyway, can you do the disclaimer?**

**Koko: Aw, I just got here!**

**Me: Do it please. I have too many couple requests from characters, but I already knew I was going to.**

**Koko: *Sweatdrops* Um…ok…Disclaimer: This person over here (Me: hey! I have a name, Koko! Koko: *sweatdrops*) does not own Gakuen Alice. She does own Mikio Yamamoto however.**

**Me: Thanks Koko! On to the story! WAIT! 1 more thing.**

**Warning: The MikanPOV is slightly weird/OOC because of the many words that Mikan wouldn't use. However, the attitude is still the same.**

**Me: **_**Now **_**you go to the story.**

**NatsumePOV**

"Hi Natsume," Hotaru greeted quietly, almost whispering. She sat up, wiping her tears.

"What happened?" I asked, but I was pretty sure I already knew. Koko told me a plan so that we could help Ruka confess to Hotaru. But now everything made sense. The thing yesterday, Hotaru crying, that girl…I'm going to give Ruka a "little" talk. Was he honestly trying to forget he loved Hotaru? That dumbass…

And Koko and Sumire! Did they honestly think that I wouldn't find out soon enough? They hid this from me! Telling me would have been a lot easier…Those amateurs…

"Oh, nothing. I was just trying my new invention here. I would have tried it on the idiot, but she always cries when I hit her with the idiot gun so I'm not sure if the results would be true."

"Oh," I nodded. I knew she was lying, but she was good at it. She was really, really good at it. If I hadn't been so close to her like before, I would have bought it. But now she was almost my sister. And I definitely sensed something wrong.

"Well, bye Hotaru." As I turned to leave, I said, "you might want to close your door. You don't want people to see you 'crying' do you?" I did quotation marks when I said crying, even though she was crying because of a reason I was pretty sure I now knew. With one last smile/smirk, her replying with the same face except for her drying tears, I left.

My last thought as I left Hotaru's room was, _Ruka, you idiotic dumbass._

**HotaruPOV**

"Oh damn it." I flopped back down on my bed lazily, facing the ceiling. "I bet he noticed I was lying, and if he hadn't figured out what yesterday was about, he probably knows it now. I'm so dead." The only good thing about this was that I could trust Natsume. That means that I'm pretty sure he won't say anything. But what are the chances?

_My life is so confusing…_

**NatsumePOV, in the hallways…**

I walked to Koko's room. I am going to confront them about this. It was either Koko's room or Sumire's. I'm confident that no one else knows about Hotaru's little crush…Actually, I bet it's love too…I think I'm in some freaking soap opera or something…

I banged on the door. Not exactly quiet, but it wasn't as loud as polka dots yelling.

Koko opened the door and gulped. Yup, he knew by guessing or reading my mind. "Oh…"

"Don't 'oh' me Koko. Explain. NOW." I didn't sound mad, really. I just sounded demanding, I guess.

Koko gulped again. "I knew this was gonna happen…" He went aside to let me in. I looked around and saw Sumire. I knew it. When Sumire saw me she sighed. "Told you Koko. You should have listened to me after my instincts told me that something was out of the ordinary." She sighed again. Koko closed the door.

"Ok, Sumire, we both have alices that somewhat connects to instincts. So don't tell me that." Sumire rolled her eyes.

"Well, you say this was out of the ordinary? You know what's out of the ordinary? When I saw Hotaru Imai, yes, _the _Hotaru Imai _crying her eyes out on her bed like she would never stop_. What the_ hell _is up with that?" Sumire and Koko looked at me wide eyed. "So she did cry this time," Sumire said quietly. "What happened?" She asked, looking up at me.

"Oh, I don't know…" I said somewhat sarcastically. "Let's just say I saw a girl on top of Ruka and I also heard another girl gasp then round a corner. And let's say I didn't know who the girl who gasped was until I saw _someone's _door open. And let's also say that when I came in thinking why would a person leave his or her door open, I was graced with the picture of _Hotaru Imai_, who is practically my _sister_, crying her eyes out. Let's also say that after all that, I connected yesterday's events, the girl, and Hotaru _crying_. You know what I came to? I realized that Hotaru _**loved **_my best friend. So don't try to deny it, and we can start over again." I looked at them and mentally dared them to deny it. Sumire sighed and put her hands up.

"It's all true. She loves Ruka."

"Ok, good. Now, what do we do about this?" Finally, something will get done.

**In class, MikanPOV…**

Lots of people were talking about the school festival, even though it has already started. There were a few people who weren't though, and these people were a bit obvious, either because they hardly talked or because of the Hotaru thing or whatever you want to call it. Those people were Hotaru, Ruka-pyon, Natsume, Sumire and Koko. I wanted to help, but there was nothing I could do about it. Actually, with Hotaru's problem-that-I-don't-know, I'm surprised she can still sell her inventions at the festival and whatnot. Being worried, I hardly ever noticed that Hotaru hadn't been firing the idiot gun at me. Speaking of which, why does she call it an idiot gun? That's so mean, just 'cause she calls me an idiot…Ok, Mikan, getting off topic here. You're supposed to find out why Hotaru's avoiding Ruka by yourself. Yes, Mikan, that's what you're supposed to think about, not why Hotaru labels you as an idiot…Hmm…

**RukaPOV**

Mikio said she was a matchmaker, right? Well, I want Hotaru to like me for who I am and tell me on her own, so I'm not going to ask her that, especially since I'm not sure whether Hotaru likes me or not. However, I _am_ going to ask her how I can tell Hotaru I love her. Geez…my life's a mess. I looked at Hotaru again when I could, Natsume could understand. I sighed and leaned back. My life really is a mess. A puzzle that I can't solve, a maze I can't finish or escape, if you know what I mean. Is this natural? Geez…

**After class…**

I looked for Mikio. Indigo-colored hair, blue-green eyes… Aha! Found her. She was talking to another girl with blonde hair and bright orange highlights who had friendly reddish-pink eyes. "Hi Mikio-chan." She turned around to look at me, and her friend looked at me too. "Oh! Hi, Ruka-kun. Girl problems?" Her eyes had a mischievous yet playful twinkle. Her friend smiled at me. I scratched my head. "Hehe…about that…"

"He has girl problems," the blonde haired girl confirmed, smiling kindly at me. She also had a twinkle in her eyes. I have no idea if this is supposed to be bad. "So, Ruka-kun…Oh wait! I forgot to introduce my friend. This is Haina Jikumaru." I nodded at Haina. "Hello, Jikumaru-san." She smiled again but then 'psh'ed at me.

"Just call me Haina, it's fine. Jikumaru-san is way too long and formal." I nodded again.

"Then just call me Ruka, you too, Mikio-chan, if you want."

"Ok, then just call me Mikio or Miki." I nodded once more. "So, as I was saying, it was that girl from yesterday, right?" I nodded slowly. "Hmm…Hotaru Imai, hey?"

"Wh-What? How did you know?" I was surprised. Haina and Mikio laughed good-heartedly.

"Well, one of my alices is mind-reading." I relaxed. Then I realized what she said.

"Then I'm scared of you reading my mind…Wait…_One _of your alices?" Mikio nodded.

"Uh-huh. My alices are mind-reading and chemistry, like your friends Koko and Nonoko."

"I don't even have to ask how you know that."

"That's for sure."

"People, people! Miki, back to the real topic please?" Haina said, waving her hands over her head to get Mikio's attention.

"Oh…Oh!" Haina shook her head.

"Seriously, Miki, you're really forgetful." Mikio sweatdropped.

"Ehehe…Sorry Haina-chan…" Mikio cleared her throat "professionally" making me and Haina sweatdrop. "As I was saying," she said, her voice going more serious, making me sweatdrop again, "Hotaru Imai is a hard target. But in this case…"

"Yeah?" I asked. Mikio smiled wickedly, and then Haina followed her after probably realizing.

"…Let's just say…It's something you should find out for yourself…You know, like what Koko told you. Remember? Koko told you that maybe she can't tell you the same thing you don't have the courage to tell her. Think about it."

"Geez…Life is so…ugh." I sighed dramatically.

Mikio started laughing. "Oh, don't worry," Haina said mysteriously, smiling mischievously at me, "after this is all over, you can bet that your life, no matter how annoying it might be, will get better for you because of this reason." I cocked my head, as if silently asking, 'huh?' or 'what do you mean?' Mikio took a moment to stop laughing. "You'll see," she told me, "you'll see." "Oh, fine," I said, giving up. I guess I have to stay up all night again trying to figure out what these people mean…again.

**SumirePOV**

"So…" Koko said. "Whaddaya think, Natsume?"

"Not bad…It could work."

"It was what we were planning from the start."

"Well, we're going to make it better than it was supposed to be."

"No objection."

"I agree," I said. This could actually work! Hmm… "But!" I voiced abruptly.

"But?!" Koko asked.

"But we can't spy on them except for the necessary parts. They need privacy."

"You don't need to tell me that," Natsume told me.

"I know. I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Koko."

"What? You actually think that…?" Koko trailed off. It was an unfinished question, but I knew what he wanted to say.

"Yes, you idiot."

"I'll never get you," Koko muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!"

"Darn."

**HotaruPOV**

A knock. I sighed. "Just wait!" Lazily I went over to the door. "What?" I said, sounding a bit annoyed as I opened the door to see…My best friend. "Hotaru! Don't be mean right now!"

"Well, what do you want?"

"Are you busy?"

"Why?"

"…Something."

"Ugh, Mikan, bother me later when I'm less irritated." I was about to close the door when she stopped me.

"Ok, ok. Can you come with me and the others to Central Town tomorrow?"

"…Consisting of?"

"The girls! You know, me, Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, maybe Misaki and Tsubasa-senpai…"

"Tsubasa-senpai's a girl?" I said, amused. I was a bit less snappy then.

"No way in hell will he ever be a girl. It's just…you know what Misaki-senpai does…"

"Yeah, ok, sure, whatever."

"So you'll come?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah, sure."

Mikan beamed at me. "See you tomorrow Hotaru!"

**SumirePOV**

_I feel so untouched and I want you so much that I just can't resist you don't you know…_My phone was ringing. I quickly answered it, and a certain someone's voice replaced the song Untouched. "Hello?"

"I got it. It worked."

"Good. Remember, we gotta sweep him off his feet."

"Hehe…have you got the others? Or do you want me to call them?"

"They already know."

"'k then. Well bye!"

"Bye!"

Beep, beep, beep.

"Guys, it's starting."

"Definitely," Koko said. Natsume and I raised an eyebrow.

"Since when have you used the word 'definitely'?" I asked, looking at him strangely.

"Since I was born." He dismissed the thought.

"Liar."

"Ok, ok. Now, do we tell the guys the plan?"

"Well…We got six people in this plan already…Are you willing to extend it?"

"Maybe…Just Kitsuneme and Yuu, probably."

"Fine, go call them."

"Gotcha."

"We have…What day is it again?"

"Friday," Natsume said, since Koko was talking to someone that sounded like Kitsuneme on his cell phone.

"Ok then, we have three more days to make this work."

"And we'll succeed."

"Yes, we will."

**The next day, in class …**

_Hehehe…_I thought as I devised 'evil' plans in my head. Now that Kitsuneme and Yuu know about it, I wonder how much more interesting this will get. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation unconsciously, whispering 'muhawhawha' without realizing it. Koko, Hotaru, Natsume, Ruka, and surprisingly Mikan sweatdropped, but Koko sweatdropped the most. "I have such a crazy best friend," he mumbled. I looked at him.

"What did you say?!?!" Everyone sweatdropped. I'm having more moodswings because of Mikan, I guess.

"Nothing…Nothing at all."

"Don't lie to me, Kokoroyomi. I _know _you," I said creepily.

"You're creeping me out Sumire."

"Your point?"

"None, I guess…" I kept looking at him strangely. "Stop staring at me like that! What am I, a criminal?"

"You could be…Amateur." I hit him on the head lightly. I saw Anna, Nonoko, Kitsuneme, Yuu and Ruka smile. "What?" I asked them. "Oh, nothing," they told me. But they kept on smiling at me anyway. Geez…is this what Koko feels?

Narumi ballet-danced as he entered the classroom. Everyone sweatdropped. "Remember everyone! Three more days until that day again!" Everyone started chatting about it. I wonder what Hotaru's reaction would be when she realizes what we're doing…If she's going to be mad (I don't bet on it) then I don't want to think about what might happen to us…It might be too horrible for me to take…Possibly.

**That afternoon, just after class…**

"So are we going to go now?" I asked the other girls.

"Sure!" They said, while Hotaru just nodded.

"It's better if we change first though," Anna said.

"I agree," Nonoko said. I nodded.

"Why don't we meet near the stop after about…30 minutes?" I asked. They nodded.

**39 minutes later, in Central Town…**

"So what are we supposed to be doing here?" Hotaru asked. We all looked at her like she was nuts.

"Didn't you know? This year we're allowed…no, _supposed_ to buy our own clothes for the Last Dance and such. Of course, it has to be formal," I informed her.

"You're kidding me." She didn't say it like she couldn't believe it, but probably because she was implying something like, 'why would you want me to come with you when we all know all I do at those times is eat and not dance?'

"Come on, Hotaru!" We pleaded. She sighed heavily.

"Oh, fine, fine."

"Hotaru?" I said.

"Yeah?"

"I know what you're thinking. You're not getting out of this. You are going to buy a dress whether you like it or not."

"Geez, can't make my own decisions anymore?"

"No, you can't." At this the others laughed. "Come on, let's go."

"CHARGE!" Mikan declared, running towards a dress shop. Then she smelled howalons. "Right after I get a big box of howalons! Wait for me guys!" She said, immediately lining up to get some howalons. We laughed and shook our heads. "Mikan will always be Mikan," Nonoko said, smiling. About four minutes later Mikan was back with an open box of howalons, stuffing one after another in her mouth. "Yuh gwize wint swum uf thuwese hawawoahns?" Mikan asked through a mouthful of howalons. Translation? 'You guys want some of these howalons?' "Thanks." We took some.

"So where do we go first?" I asked.

"How about there?" Anna and Nonoko pointed to a tall, purplish-blue building that said, 'Dreskypes.' From where we were, you could clearly see it had dresses. "Is that even a word?" I asked.

"Not that I know of," Hotaru answered.

"Ok," Mikan said. "Now I can say…CHARGE!!!" She ran towards the building.

"MIKAN!" Nonoko, Anna and I yelled. We all went after her. (Yes, including Hotaru.)

Inside the store…

Ding ding ding! A small golden bell went off as we entered the store. A friendly-looking girl with light brown hair tied up in a ponytail and rose pink eyes wearing a three-quarter inch silk turquoise dress shirt tucked in a knee-length black skirt and brown flats walked towards us. "Hi! I'm Nanami. Do you need help with anything? Are you looking for something in particular?"

"We're actually looking for dresses," Anna told her.

"Oh, ok. Are you looking for something formal or casual?"

"Um…Formal," Nonoko told her.

"Ok, then. Follow me." We followed the girl as she went towards a set of clear gray-colored stairs and started up. Then she went towards an area labelled, 'dresses: formal.' "Here you are. Is that all?" Mikan nodded. "Ok. Well, if you need anything..." She went down the steps again. Mikan started looking for dresses like some kind of maniac.

"Mikan, please don't be abnormal," I said.

"What do you mean abnormal?"

"We can hardly see you because you're looking for dresses so fast," Hotaru said bluntly.

"Oh! Sorry!" She didn't do anything about it, though.

"Do I seriously need to look for a dress?" Hotaru asked, turning towards me.

"Yes."

"Ugh." She sat on a couch behind her.

**2 hours and 47 minutes later, normalPOV…**

"Finally!" Hotaru said. "You guys took so long!" Hotaru stood up.

"Yeah, well, now we're trying them on," Mikan retorted.

"Greeeaaat. Here we go again!" Hotaru said dramatically, falling back on the fluffy violet couch she was sitting at.

"Hotaruuu…" Mikan whined.

"Fine, you idiot."

"Meanie." Mikan went inside a dressing room, and the others (except Hotaru) followed.

**Some minutes later…**

Anna was first to come out. She wore an ankle-length, spaghetti-strapped pale pink dress with small flowers in slightly darker pink sewn on it. _**(Dunno what to call it, but the bottom isn't straight, it has those…up and down whatever things…I'll see if I can find it…)**_There was a small, rose pink bow around her waist, tied at the back and the dress had a v-neck shaped neckline. She had a plain silver bangle on her right wrist and pink dangling earrings while her hair was in a low, loose ponytail. She had on pale pink sandals.

Sumire was second. She had on a short sleeved green dress that was a bit below the knee. _**(The short sleeved part is sort of…like, flyaway…if that's how you tell it…)**_ It was light green at the top, but it got darker as it went down. _**(Is that how you describe it?!?!)**_ It had a v-neck shaped neckline also, like Anna's and the dress flowed out at the bottom. She had on a pair of green earrings and green clogs. Her elbow-length green hair was in a half-ponytail.

Nonoko was next. She was wearing a dark blue dress with a length that was probably in the middle of knee-length and ankle-length. It was an off-the-shoulder dress that had elbow-length sleeves. There was a thin sky blue belt on her waist hanging off her left hip. She had on three silver bangles on each wrist and dangling blue earrings. Her shoes were like Anna's, only they were dark blue. Her hair was in a ponytail and a few tendrils framed her face.

Mikan was last. She came out wearing a sleeveless knee-length bright orange dress that flowed out from the waist. There was a darker orange sash tied around her waist. She had a thin gold chain around her neck and gold hoop earrings. She had on strapped wedges and her elbow-to-waist-length brown hair was left down.

"So?" They said in unison. "How do we look?"

"You guys look really nice, actually."

"Good, but we haven't forgotten about you," Mikan said as the four girls exchanged a look.

"Oh no," Hotaru said.

"Oh, yes," Sumire said as they all exchanged mischievous looks with one another. All Hotaru thought was, _**shit.**_

**Lots of minutes later…**

"I look stupid, like you, Mikan." Hotaru said from inside the dressing room. The girls had changed back to their normal clothes and shoved Hotaru in the dressing room after giving her whatever they thought would look good on her.

"Come on Hotaru!" Mikan whined.

"Show us!" Nonoko and Anna chorused.

"It looks good, I can tell!" Sumire called.

"Fine…" Hotaru's muffled voice said. She slowly opened the door of the dressing room looking down. Their eyes went wide.

Hotaru was wearing a cap-sleeved lavender dress that was slightly below the knee. It flowed out from the bottom and had a dark purple dyed edge. It had a v-neck shaped neckline and the sleeves were more transparent than the rest of the dress. There was a thin, silk light purple ribbon tied around her waist and her waist-length hair was in a single braid, tied with a lavender colored ribbon. She had tiny silver hoops earrings with an amethyst attached to the bottom of it and light purple flats.

"WHOA!" Nonoko said.

"HO-_LY_," Anna voiced.

"You look so…DIFFERENT!" Sumire told her.

"YOU LOOK _AMAZING_!" Mikan said, her eyes were the ones mostly likely to pop out of their sockets.

"Basically, you look unbelievable," they all said, nodding at her as a sign to _definitely _get everything.

"You're fricking kidding me," Hotaru deadpanned. The girls shook their heads furiously. Hotaru went back inside the dressing room. "You people are crazy," she said from inside.

"Nope, just shocked," Mikan told her simply. Anna and Nonoko giggled, and going closer to Sumire and Mikan, whispered, practically squealed, really, "if we're shocked, Ruka's definitely going to be more than whipped." Sumire smiled and Mikan grinned, trying to hold back an excited screech. Hotaru went out. "Buy it," Mikan told her, giving her the pointed look she seemed to give Hotaru so much lately. Hotaru sighed, but not in defeat. After all, this is Hotaru Imai we're talking about. No matter how depressed she felt, she will never be defeated…Except by emotion. She had vowed. "Fine then." Then they went down the stairs and paid for their things.

**HEY PEOPLE!!! Duuuudeee….I feel evil, lyk I cut it off…Oh well. Mikio's and Haina's info is on my prof, BTW. Oh, and plz participate in the poll on my prof, too. MUHAWHAWHA! THREE MORE DAYS UNTIL Sumire's, Koko's and Natsume's plan go to the best part! For all of us anticipating…yeah…**

**So, I think you ppl hav guessed the 'big thing' already…Or have u? *Gives mysterious look***

**Wow! Not an extremely long A/N, FINALLY!!!! Kewl…**

**Plz send a review! Comments, encouragements, suggestions, praise and everything else possible is welcome…EXCEPT FLAMES PPL!!!!!**

**Also, I want an answer 2 my ? B4. How is it amazing? I dun get it…**

**Duuuddeee…I didn't kno my writing wz this good. Y do I keep typing "duuuudee" NEway? I dunno. Oh well.**

**And I appreciate ppl adding this 2 their favs or alerting, but I need ur opinions plz! Even if u hav reviewed B4, I'd still lyk a review! Thank you! (I have a feeling I 4got 2 put sumthing here….Hmm…)**


	6. Other People In?

**Annnddd….I hav decided! This will go over 5 chaps, possibly 8 or 9! Actually, I sort of sensed it…**

**Sooo…Did u guys figure out the "big thing" yet? JJ-chan (****Luckystar222****) thinks she knows…Hmm…**

**If u didn't, I could understand/relate. At times I'm just sooo clueless I don't recall some things. Like I read this fic, called "The secret after I left" by Emii-sama and I totally forgot Luna had the soul-sucking alice, and didn't connect it with the fact that that was why Ruka cheated on Hotaru until now. *GASP!* Though I'm not sure **_**if **_**that actually **_**is **_**the reason…I'm not saying you're clueless or stupid…Don't take it like that.**

**Thanks 2…**

**Lucky-chan! You reviewed! And u sed u r gonna rev the othr chappies! I love ya! (Dunt mean that in a lesbian way, I meant it as fanfic frnd way.) And also 2 Joanie (act. Member), .|neleenchan:3|.,xXx. romance .xXx**** (there's no space in her name but FF won't allow it) and ****Chattykitkat****!!!**

**Joanie: Wow…I just noticed that, but it's TRUE! And wow, I didn't know. I thought it was sort-of seeming lyk a filler…But then not. I'm so undecided. LOL. It's weird. Me, I mean. Haha, thx. LOL. If that's what I think u mean, I'll TRY to find a dress lyk it, or I can draw it. But it depends on if I'm rlly in the mood. The more in the mood, the better the drawing. I'm moving my ass, I'm moving!!! LOL.**

**.|neleenchan:3|.: Ok, I'm believing u ppl: The last chap wz good. LMAO. Haha, ppl r telling me 2 move my butt but I'm surprisingly not pressured. Well, that's a first. Yeah, it seemed short 2 me even though I knew it wz long. Yea, the festival sort of started already, but the plan will be go-go on the 'more interesting' parts on the nxt chap. Hehe. Yeah, I sort of did. I was going to change the colors a bit…But yeah. It's like that except Mikan's cuz Mikan's dresses and whatnot r always orange, pink and sumtimes green…Well, when I read fanfics…**

**xXx. romance .xXx****: No prob! I always review. **_**Especially**_** when it's RukaRu. –wink– It's a habit, reviewing sometimes gets u reviewers. Lolz. WHOO! Another reviewer! Thx 4 the comment!**

**Chattykitkat****: Like I sed, the more interesting parts are coming soon…Especially on the last chap *wink wink***

**I have a feeling u ppl who lyk fluff and romance and stuff will lyk the last chap and 2****nd**** 2 last chap and so on probably…Unless I combine it and the 2 chappies will become 1! Hehe. *Rubs hands 2gether* The grand finale! Hehe…I'll love ryting the last chap the best. *Starts dreaming, sighs in bliss* Yup, definitely.**

**Well, here are the characters! (Let's pretend they didn't hear the author's note on top. Cuz then Hotaru will hit me w/ her baka gun if she finds out…I hope she doesn't…You can skip this part…But it sort of hints something…*wink wink*)**

**Anna: That looked **_**super-cute **_**on you Hotaru!**

**Hotaru: I still think you guys were crazy…even if that was only acting then, I guess thinking you guys are crazy isn't acting.**

**Mikan: Mou, Hotaru! You're so mean! But you're still my best friend!**

**Hotaru: And you're an annoying sap. *whispers* Like Ruka…Only he's not annoying, but a baka for not realizing.**

**Ruka: *Blushes but didn't hear the 'for not realizing'***

**Mikan: That's mean! And what do you mean Ruka-pyon is a sap, Hotaru?**

**Me, Hotaru and Natsume: *Thinks* **_**I'm surprised she knows what a sap means.**_

**Hotaru: Nothing, you baka. *looks away then blushes lightly***

**Koko: *reads Hotaru and Ruka's mind* **_**WHAT?! **_**DUDE! Congrats man!**

**Ruka: *blushes more***

**Hotaru: *glares and gets baka gun ready***

**Mikan: *clueless* Huh? What do you mean, Koko?**

**Hotaru: *still getting baka gun ready and blushing lightly***

**Ruka: *absolutely rivalling a tomato***

**Koko: *whispers in Mikan's ear***

**Mikan: *different expressions***

**Koko: *backs away from Mikan smiling/smirking***

**Me:*smirking/smiling, knows what happened***

**Natsume: *smirking, figured out what happened***

**Everyone else except Ruka and Hotaru: *clueless***

**Get ready for a blow, peeps.**

**Mikan: **_**WHAT?!?!?!?!**_** NO WAY! YOU'RE **_**KIDDING **_**ME! RUKA-PYON AND HOTARU-**

**Hotaru: *shoots Mikan with baka gun then shoots Koko repeatedly* Bakas. *Blushes lightly***

**Natsume: *smirking* So Ruka, finally had the courage to ask Imai out, huh? Hey, you, *gestures to me***

**Me: *thinks* **_**I thought he was going to sing Girlfriend…Ha-ha**_

**Koko: *laughs from his 'on-the-floor' state, faints***

**Everyone except Hotaru, Natsume and Mikan: *sweatdrop***

**Mikan: *confused***

**Natsume: *smirks***

**Hotaru and Ruka: *blushing***

**Anna and Nonoko: No **_**WAY! **_**Good for you! Congrats!**

**Ruka: N-Nonoko-chan, An-Anna-chan…It's not what you think it is…**

**Me: *turns to audience* I think this will take longer than it already has so I'll just get someone to do the disclaimer. Hmm…Oh! Hai-chan (like 'hay') and Miki-chan are here! Haina-chan, Mikio-chan, can you both do the disclaimer?**

**Haina and Mikio: *turns to me after arriving through the door that appeared out of nowhere* Hai!**

**Haina: Ni-chan here does not own Gakuen Alice!**

**Mikio: But she owns me, Ha-chan (like 'ha') and Nami-chan!**

**Nanami: *appears behind Haina and Mikio* I won't be here much…But maybe in her next story! Niko-chan promises to continue Bringing You Back at first for five chapters (or 4…Or 3), then start the next story and rotate. She says gomen to Amethyst-Crystal, Luckystar222 and anyone else who is waiting for that story! When this story is finished, she'll give you the summary and a preview of her next fanfic! My info is not there yet, but it will be!**

**Me: Arigatou Na-chan! Enjoy and please review! (Holy, my author's notes are too long…I'll tell the characters to tone it down. :D)**

**RukaPOV**

Ugh, these clues people give me. Sometimes I wonder if I'm becoming a personality-wise boy version of Mikan…Ok, now _that, _is just plain weird. Hmm…I didn't see Mikan, Anna, Nonoko, Sumire or Hota-Imai after class. I wonder what happened to them.

**BAM!**

I fell down and rubbed my head. Another mental note, Ruka: Watch where you're going…again.

"Ow…" Mikio rubbed the back of her head also. She looked at me. "Ruka? Really, I think this is what fate wants to happen: Make us get injured once every week." I grinned sheepishly.

"Maybe. It's only the second time."

"I'm going to ask a friend to make a shield or something."

"He…hehe…."

"Hi Ruka-kun!"

"Wha-Haina-chan?! What the hell?! Oh…and who's that?"

"Yup, it's me. This is our friend, Nanami Miyuki."

"Hi…"

"Hello, Miyuki-san." Haina rolled her eyes.

"Call any of our friends by their actual names or nicknames."

"Ha-chan! Don't be rude!" Mikio scolded.

"Well, at least _finally _you're acting older."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"You almost always act younger…You know, younger than 15."

"What the _hell_?!"

"…I did nothing."

"You liar." Mikio crossed her arms. I sweatdropped.

"Erm…Soo…" Mikio scratched her head. "What were we talking about again?" Haina and I fell down anime style, while Nanami sweatdropped. "Someone needs to give you a memory alice stone," Haina muttered. Mikio blushed.

"You are _so _not implying-"

"Yes, I am."

"You are fricking hopeless."

"At least I have a _memory. _I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot your own name someday."

"Stop imp-" Nanami came in between them.

"Guys, don't make me make you make me make you change your future." I fell down anime style.

"Well that was long," Mikio commented. Both Haina and Nanami fell down anime style.

"Mikio…" Nanami said dangerously calm.

"What?"

"Oh, God, this girl is _hopeless,_" Nanami said, passing her hand over her face as she turned to Haina. "Knock some sense into her."

"Oh, _gladly._" Haina went over to Mikio and flicked the back of her head.

"OW!"

"I don't think this will be enough. She needs a new memory…Not like she has one in the first place. Apparently she also needs a new brain."

"You guys are so meeeeaaannn."

"I'm not mean, I'm just appalled at what you can come up with," Nanami told her. "By the way, Ruka-kun, you can call me Nami if you want."

"Ok…How'd you know my name?"

"How could I not?"

"Oh! Yeah, I get it now."

"By the way…Did you find out what we meant yet, Ruka?" Haina asked me. I scratched the back of my head and sweatdropped.

"Eh…No…"

"Wait…Do your friends know about…?"

"Well…Erm…Some of them…"

"Good." She smiled at me with a twinkle in her eye again.

**SumirePOV**

"WHOO! Get ready people, for the most interesting and entertaining show _ever!_" Koko declared, flopping back on his beige-colored couch. "You girls could have your chick flick parts too!" Mikan, Nonoko, Anna, Kitsuneme, Koko, Natsume, Yuu and I were in Koko's room. We were discussing our plan, but only Koko, Natsume and I knew what both Hotaru and Ruka felt…But not in the way that it actually happened to us…I think. Well, maybe just a bit for me? We all had a hunch, though, that Mikan, Yuu, and possibly the other three knew. Why were we almost completely sure Mikan and Yuu knew? It was because even if she was supposedly an idiot, she would most likely be able to sense Hotaru's feelings. They were best friends, after all. For Yuu, let's just say he's more attentive and experienced in the love department than he was before.

"Koko, you know what?" I said somewhat sweetly.

"What?" He asked, looking in my eyes. Sumire, now's not the time to think about _that. _Think about the situation at hand, here.

"You, Kokoro Yome, are an idiot."

"Aw, how nice of you, Sumire," he teased. He went closer to me on the couch and threw his arm around me. I lightly blushed and looked down. The others smiled at each other, but I didn't know why. I tried to take my mind off the situation. I don't need the thought of Koko possibly rejecting me…Or him reading my mind. I looked up. "So, guys, any extra ideas to make them make up and get together in the best, action-packed yet romantic way ever?"

"Well, you three told us the plan, and you told Ruka-pyon that you were trying to get Kitsuneme, Yuu, Anna and Nonoko together. So why don't we pretend that's what we're doing?" Mikan asked. We stared at her.

"I'm surprised, Polka. I didn't know you had a brain," Natsume teased.

"HEY! You pervert!"

"How am I the pervert now?"

"'Cause you are!" Everyone sweatdropped. "Wait a minute…Does that mean you hadn't thought about that? And here, I thought you were the smart one!" Mikan declared. We stared at her again. "What?" She asked.

"Is today 'Mikan will use her brain' day? Quick, what day is it?" Koko asked.

"Um…Saturday, July 25 2009," Kitsuneme told him. Anna rolled her eyes playfully.

"You didn't have to say the year! I knew what year it was!"

"Ok…Koko, buddy, what year is it?"

"Um…Anyone know the year?"I hit the back of his head using the heel of my palm and Anna and Kitsuneme looked at each other then back at us and grinned while Nonoko and Yuu seemed to be hiding secret smiles. This is creeping me out. "Koko, it's 2009, you idiot. Have you forgotten your age?"

"Nope!"

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen, no duh, Sumire."

"I'm glad you know…actually, it's not 'Mikan will use her brain' day. It's 'Mikan will use her brain while Koko becomes stupider than he really is' day."

"Oh, so you think I'm smart."

"Idiot."

**HotaruPOV**

That was just plain weird. They all needed to visit Koko? The hell? That's just queer. I have nothing to do that won't remind me of Ruka. _Ruka… _The picture of him appeared in my mind. I shook my head. "Don't think of him, Hotaru," I whispered. Then the picture of Ruka and that girl flashed in my mind. I shook my head again. I don't need this. I don't need to cry again. I went outside and when I was near a random tree, I looked up and sighed heavily. Then a person sighed too. Wha-huh? I looked at the tree, but the person saw me before I spotted him or her. "Imai…" At that I had a picture of Ruka in my mind again, but I knew it wasn't him. It sounded like a girl. I looked up further. It was the girl that was on top of him.

"How do you know me?" I asked. Oh, no. My voice wasn't stoic…again. I'm losing my touch.

"Well, everyone does," the girl said, jumping gracefully in front of me. It was definitely her. I could tell by how she looked like.

"What do you want?"

"I just want to talk to you."

"About what?"

"That guy we all call Ruka Nogi." No…Not a chance.

"I…I can't…" I stammered. I wanted to slap my forehead. Come _on. _Stammering now? Geez.

"Why not?"

"I…I can't explain." More like I don't want to explain. I love him. I love the guy for Pete's sake! If I can't prevent going away, why can't people ever talk about normal things? I don't want to talk about him. I won't. Not when I still know he loves Mikan. Not when I can get hurt. Hiding my feelings is harder than I used to be. It's bad enough I broke down. I don't want to break down in front of a person and get more hurt. It hurt so much I couldn't even begin to tell how.

"Please, Imai-san. Just this once. It's something…_important_." I looked at her. Maybe it was important… I bit my lip.

"Okay," I whispered. "What about him?"

"Imai-san…I just wanted to tell you. What you saw that day was nothing. I hadn't known him then. Now we're friends. And…we have no romantic feelings for each other. I know how you feel, Imai-san. How it feels to be heartbroken, hurt, hopeless, lovesick. I know how it feels when you think that he doesn't love you back. I know how it feels when you want to just scream out the truth and break down right there. Imai-san, I know."

"I…I don't love him," I denied quietly.

"Don't lie to me. I know you do."

"H…H…How?" I admitted it to a total stranger. God.

"One of my alices is mind reading. And…_something else_ happened…Listen to these words, Imai-san, maybe they will help you: 'Maybe what you are too scared to tell him is the same thing he has no courage to tell you.'" I stared at her. It was impossible. "Unlikely," I told her.

"Who knows. Only you know what you really feel…And among other things…You're most clueless at the subject of love. Imai-san, if you need someone to talk to, someone who knows how you feel, I'll be near. I'm Mikio Yamamoto."

"I'm Hotaru Imai…But it seems…You already know who I am."

"Of course." She smiled at me.

"Call me Hotaru."

"Likewise, call me Mikio."

"Well, thanks. It's nice to know someone knows how I feel," I told her softly.

"You have no idea, Hotaru. You have no idea." She smiled at me, and I smiled my rare smile back, turning to walk away.

And that was the start of a new friendship-with Mikio Yamamoto.

I can tell she's a good person-though I was hesitant to open up.

Did I have…a chance?

I don't think I ever did.

**MikioPOV**

She never noticed, did she? I gave her a clue. I said, 'I know how it feels when you think he doesn't love you back.' It's a small clue…But a clue, nonetheless. And I hope…She realizes. For Ruka. For herself. For all the people who want them to finally confess and go together. Because I know, I've seen, 'heard' that Hotaru Imai is secretive. Only a few people would know if at all, other than me. With Ruka…Lots of people would probably know. Why…How could she not know? And Ruka…He said he hallucinates, thinks that some girl is her. Then how come that didn't happen for Nami-chan and Haina-chan? Or did it?

**NonokoPOV**

Kitsuneme rubbed his hands together. "So…hehe…this will start…now?"

"Yep," Koko went closer to Kitsuneme and whispered, as I had heard it, "you could kiss Anna then, after you 'got together'. You know the truth, Kit." Kitsuneme turned bright red. I started laughing. Kitsuneme turned to Koko and put a fake shocked face. "My best friend! You _traitor!" _Sumire and I were laughing so hard. Anna was giggling and ruffled Kitsuneme's hair like a little kid. She didn't hear what Koko said, but she laughed because of Kitsuneme's expression. I knew that much…and a bit more. Koko started laughing too, and I bet I knew why. He leaned towards Kitsuneme's ear and said, "it's too bad she only thinks of you as a little kid. But I could see you were happy because she touched your hair." Kitsuneme turned tomato red.

"KOKO, YOU STUPID JACKASS!" Kitsuneme yelled as Koko stood up and made a run for it. Kitsuneme got up and chased Koko around the room. "GET OVER HERE, YOU RASCAL! IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE HAD HEARD THAT!"

"I know what would have happened! I'm a mind reader, remember?"

"UGH! I wish I had the speed or elemental alices right now! Hey, Natsume, can you burn this amateur's hair?"

"Can't, man. This is too entertaining. Hey, Koko, I wish you luck, dude. I think your best friend is gonna fry you."

"I AM GOING TO DO SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT!!! YOU ASS, GET OVER HERE AND BE A MAN!"

"Of course I'm not a man yet! And you know exactly why! I'm only a very tormented, mature, teenage boy! God, spare me!" Kitsuneme blushed again, this time a dark pink. "YOU IDIOT! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEAN, YOU ASSHOLE! And remind me again, HOW THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU _MATURE?!?!_ Are you insane?!"

"I don't know!"

"WHATEVER! I'LL FRIGGING CASTRATE YOU!"

"Why? I just told you that-"

"MENTION IT AND DIE!"

"You're so violent, Kit!"

"You're the one who decided to be turned into pulp!" Koko gulped and sped up.

"AW MAN, I'M GONNA DIE TODAY!!! Sumi-chan, Noko-chan, Anna-chan, SAVE ME!" (Sumi like Sue-mi, not Sue-my.)

"Um…" The three girls sweatdropped.

"SUMIRE, NONOKO!!! ANNA, GET YOUR BOYFRIEND OFF MY BACK!!! PLEASE, I BEG YOU!!!"

"WHAT THE-?!?! KOKO, WHAT DID YOU SAY?! I'LL PRACTICALLY TURN YOU TO SOUP NOW!" Anna blushed a bit.

"Ko-ko," she said, pouting, "you know Kitsu-chan isn't my boyfriend."

"You could be his girlfriend! You like each other, don't you?"

"KOKORO YOME!!!!!" Anna and Kitsuneme shouted in embarrassment, turning more than 854 shades of red. "I'M SO GOING TO MURDER YOU!!!" With that Anna and Kitsuneme worked as a tag team to take Koko down. And they came up with something: Sumire. Kitsuneme started. "Hey, Sumire, did you know? Koko li-" Koko's eyes became wide and he covered both Kitsuneme and Anna's mouths. "What the fuck?!?! Dude! That's so uncool!" Koko let go. Kitsuneme smirked like hell.

"Serves you right, man."

"I hate you dude."

"Pshaw. You don't. I'm your best friend man."

"Fine, fine, chillax man."

"Fine, but say _that _ever again, I'll seriously castrate ya'. Got it?"

"Whatever." The two boys and Anna turned to the others. They stared and were silent for a few minutes, and then all of a sudden Sumire started laughing. Then Nonoko, Mikan and Yuu.

"What?" Kitsuneme and Koko asked.

"That was hilarious!" Sumire gasped out, trying to hold back giggles.

"What is this, the pillow incident all over again?" Koko asked.

"Don't, Koko. You'll fall over laughing again."

"Oh yeah." And then, magically, Koko fell over and laughed his guts out.

**RukaPOV**

Ooo-k…I'm scared…Those girls with those mysterious, evil-looking...I shuddered mentally. And Nami-chan's an addition! What the _hell_ are they planning?!?!

Oh, don't mind me. I'm just spazzing out while I have the chance…Let me repeat again. I'm _scared_… Yes, I'm scared of those looks on Mikio, Haina and Nanami's faces. Not necessary them, but I might…Talk about alter ego. Sheesh. I shuddered again.

"Um…so…um…what are you planning?" Then Haina gave me a _freaky_ smile. In my opinion, anyway. Oh, did I mention? I was talking about before. Mikio left somewhere; Nanami said she was relaxing or something like that, like she supposedly always was. Either way, I was (stuck) with Nanami and Haina… And their _extremely unsettling _evil looks. –shudder–

"Oh…Nothing…" Nanami told me. But she still had that (unnatural) look on her face. (For me.) "Oh, which friends know about your_ 'crush'?"_ I looked at her like she was from Mars.

"Um…Oh, I don't know, really…lots of people?" She gave me _that _look again.

"Good." Geez, I don't know why I hang out with people who are like this…

"So who are they?" Haina asked.

"First and last name?"

"Yep."

"Um…Mikan Sakura, Natsume Hyuuga, Kokoro Yome, Kitsuneme, Anna Umenomiya, Mochiage, Nonoko Ogasawara, Yuu Tobita, Sumire Shouda…I think those are the only people who know…Maybe Wakako Usami…"

"Ok…good." Now I looked at Haina like she was from Saturn.

"Well…I gotta go." They nodded, and I walked away, shaking my head.

All these people are weird.

**SumirePOV**

"Ok, so since there's like, two more days left until we get to the best part, and also the part where we'll see the outcome, shouldn't we like, you know…get what we need and stuff?" Nonoko asked.

"All we need are our brains and probably some kinda walkie-talkie…or like those earphone thingies," Mikan said, tapping her chin thoughtfully with her index finger. "I'm surprised you thought of that, polka dots," Natsume said, smirking.

"NATSUME HYUUGA!" Mikan boomed.

"Geesh," Natsume said. "Harsh." He smirked at her again.

"Yeah, so do we have the earphone things? I think those would be better, 'cause we don't have to carry them, you know?" Anna told us. "I agree," Kitsuneme said. Koko nudged him suggestively. Kitsuneme nudged him back hard in the ribs.

"OW! Kit!" Kitsuneme and I snickered, Natsume smirked, Anna, Nonoko, and Mikan giggled and Yuu smiled.

"Koko, seriously. You want to be injured today, right? If you get injured, we'll work the plan out, don't worry," I teased.

"Oh come on, Sumire! I wouldn't miss this."

"Yeah, if you were Hotaru you would bring a video camera and a camera itself and take pictures and videos of the unsuspecting couple…Who happens to be two of our closest friends."

"I sense a Sumire lecture."

"A _what?!" _That idiot…

"Oh…I thought you had heard of your own lectures before…" Smoke steamed out of my ears. "Geesh, someone's cranky." I whacked him. "Idiot! If we don't plan this it won't work properly!"

"Sumire, it's called a _plan_, and we've planned it to almost perfection."

"That's what it would seem like to an arse like you," I hissed.

"Dude, you got burned," Natsume said as he and Kitsuneme smirked and Yuu agreed.

**HotaruPOV**

I didn't go back to my room. What was I gonna do there? No, I walked around.

As I walked mindlessly, I was thinking. And unluckily, my thoughts drifted to him...

No Hotaru… Don't do this…Focus on something else…

_But you know you can't help it…_

Oh, greaaat. Another _thing_ encouraging me to talk to him and think about him.

_As a matter of fact I am your conscience, genius._

I'll take that as a compliment.

_Leave it to you to do that._

Why am I having a half-intellectual, half-pointless conversation with my conscience?

_Who knows? I'm only your conscience._

I know that, duh.

_Well I don't know._

Late answer, Miss. Mastermind.

_I'll take that as a compliment._

Hn.

_Typical._

Get used to it.

_I already have, conscience, remember?_

I'm not stupid.

_No duh._

"Ouch." I fell down, feeling my back collide with the soft grass. I sat up and looked at the other person who was rubbing the back of his head, most likely cursing. I looked at the ground and was about to stand up when I felt something cold envelope me. Dread. Oh, god, no. I looked at the other person again. Holy damn. _Ruka?!?!_ It's been the seventh time already in one and a half weeks! What does he do, _stalk_ me?!?! Apparently he noticed me too, because he was just there, staring at me. "Oh my god…" I heard him say. "Finally…" What the heck is he talking about? He hasn't stalked me enough? It seems too long of a time span for him? What?!?! He stood up quickly and offered me his hand. I stood up by myself and he grabbed hold of my wrist before I could go away…again. I stared at the ground after three attempts to let go. "Hotaru…" He whispered. I felt something cold crawl up my spine. He called me Hotaru, not Imai. I would have stared at him in shock, but I'm not about to give myself away. "I'm not going to let you go…" I felt his unnerving gaze on me. I shifted a bit nervously. "Not until you give me an explanation."

**HainaPOV**

"Haina, should we go?"

"I don't know, but from the looks of it Ruka's trying to get her to tell him something, but she won't budge."

"What should we do then?"

"I don't know. Let's watch for a bit more."

"I agree, we need to give them a push."

"Where's Miki?"

"I have no idea."

"Right here!"

"What?!" Nanami and I almost shouted. Luckily we didn't.

"You idiot," I hissed. "Be quiet."

"Got it."

"We should ask their friends if they want to help us," Nanami told us.

"Yeah. Now…Be quiet." Miki and Nami nodded.

**RukaPOV**

"I…I…I can't…" she whispered, barely loud enough for me to here. She shifted slightly. I was taken aback at the tone of her voice. It wasn't cold, she seemed nervous, unsure. "Why not?" I asked her quietly.

"Nogi…Ruka…I-I just…can't…" She…called me…Ruka?

"Will you ever tell me? I want to know what I did," I told her softly.

"When…When I'm ready… And…you never knew you were doing it…" She looked at me for a brief second and then her eyes fluttered back to the grass. I almost sighed. I was too confused. Finally, I asked her, "do you promise me?" She looked at me, and I saw she was confused. "Wha-What?" I don't think she thought I would let her go. I'm not that type of person. I asked her softly again. "Do you promise me? When…When you're ready, do you promise to tell me?" She looked back down, and up at me again. "I promise," she whispered, looking down once again. Slowly I let go of her hand.

"Go," I told her. She looked briefly into my eyes, her own giving a message I couldn't decipher. Then she turned her back, and walked away from me as I stared at her back, wondering, and more confused than ever.

**OMG! I just noticed. Haina and Mikio sorta act like Hotaru and Mikan. And get this: ****H****aina-****H****otaru, ****Mik****io-****Mik****an. Wow, talk abt weird. I had NO idea. And then, Mikio and Mikan hav the same number of letters. Hey, imagine if Nanami acted lyk Nonoko. Talk abt weirder!**

**And have u ever noticed? If they put Koko's name 2gether, they wryt 'Kokoroyomi' but if it's separate, they wryt 'Kokoro Yome' Weirrdddd…**

**When Sumire hit Koko on the head using his palm, let me tell ya. Girls, you have an annoying friend, girl or boy (u get more satisfaction if it's a boy), use that. I use it, and get extreme satisfaction. When Haina flicked Mikio's head, it works too. The more experienced u r (LOL) the better. Haha, and I happen 2 b an expert.**

**There's not a lot of alices involved, so in the plan, there will be more alices used. And I'm pretty sure Kitsuneme doesn't have a last name…Or Mochu. Wakako's last name is Usami right? I forgot…I didn't have time to check it…**

**Oh, and after they went shopping, the girls told Hotaru they had 2 go to Koko after they put theIR shopping bags in their rooms. Then Hotaru put her stuff in her dorm and was walking around. That's what she was doing in her POV after Sumire sed 'idiot' to Koko in her own POV. Oh, in the 1****st**** SumirePOV in this chap, Koko meant while they're getting Hotaru and Ruka together. And he also meant after that.**

**MUHAWHAWHA! TWO MORE DAYS until they…yeeeaah…You'll just have 2 w8 4 it. Characters: *sweatdrop***

**Omg I looooved the last HotaruPOV and RukaPOV. It was so…serious. But I still loooooveeeddd it. Haha. And if you haven't realized, Nanami is the girl from dreskypes. Anyway, review please! Questions and suggestions and other stuff are allowed…But no flames. And vote in the poll of my prof. if you can, thanks!!!**


	7. Eleven Now, and Getting More Confused?

**I'm back! Again! With another chapter! Again! I'm hyper! Again! Yeah, ok, I'll stop…Or try to…LOL, I almost uploaded the document with my songs on it. XD.**

_**Please read this author's note!**_** (except 4 the review replies…well, not when ur reading urs…But I'm not saying u can't read other ppls rev. replies…You get the point…)**

**Ok, so, I know it's in-a-way a bit confusing with the events…I think. No one asked. But anyways…**

**First of all, the festival has **_**already started.**_** So Hotaru is selling her inventions, Ruka is helping with the play, Mikan is doing her SA RPG thing and whatnot. It's already mentioned in chap 4 (?) but you might not have understood it or maybe you forgot it or something…All I'm doing is the main part of the story. But if you want the festival to show, review me. Because there's only a few more days left (in the 'world' in the story) until my much anticipated chapter (AKA what happens **_**after**_** the festival). LOLz.**

**Second of all, I know the moods are changing so much and stuff…But it works (?) I guess, so…yeah.**

**Thirdly, I know my A/N's are too long…I like to talk and write, so it's a sort of computerized (?) talking? (XD.) It's a habit…And I'm trying to STOP IT!!! (Excuse my insanity…)**

**Fourth, don't be afraid to review. On the fifth chapter this story was up to 360 something hits, and then on the sixth chapter it became 458 the first day, 476 the second day, and 502 the third…Then the visitors were 250. That's 252 people (possibly) who came back to read my story… People! You want reviews, you get them. But review other people! I mean, seriously, come **_**on!**_** (Again, excuse my insanity.)**

**Fifth, it's going to be a bit more serious on Hotaru and Ruka POV, unless Ruka is with Mikio, Nanami or Haina. But even then it might be where he's deep in thought. Other POV's won't be that serious…Unless…**_**something**_**…that you'll have to figure out. :D**

**Sixth, I'm sorry! Gomen! The last chap and this chap might be a little cheesy (?), I dunno, but it's because…**_**something**_**…again. It's either cheesy, romantic (?), dramatic or confusing…And yes, I'm talking about the last chapter. But I'm not saying this one might not be…it sort of is. I'm thinking a mixture of the last three with a sprinkle of cheesy(?)**

**Seventh, Mikio, Haina and Nanami's info is all there. But I need to think of Nanami's alice first…**

**Review replies:**

**Joanie: Your reviews never cease to surprise me. :D Sue me…I know right? :D Funnniiieeeeee. When I realized after a few seconds of writing it, I totally ROTFLMFAO-ed. Haha. I'm trying to update faster, but whenever I go on the laptop it's like connected and then not connected. It's pissing me! *chibi me: cries* T.T Wah, but I'll deal! :D Talk about moody and hyper, eh? LOLz.**

**JJ-chan ():**

**On C1: Whheeeeeee!!! I admit it, I'm hyper (not really XD) but even more hyper when I get reviews! Yeah, in fics they either make her hopeless when it comes to love, or smart with other people's love lives but not hers. XD. Sometimes they make her so she thinks she's right about something about love (wow, that was long XP) but then she's wrong. Hehe. Oh, thanks! You too…But not belated. Happy advanced birthday, JJ-chan!!! O.O I said you were a supposed twelve year old on my profile. Guess I was wrong. XD.**

**On C2: Haha, yeah, I know. I always wanted to write that in a story…but one I would actually publish. Not just write and write and write but no one would know what I'm writing about. XD. I'm thinking about what would happen if he ran into the tree. XD. Yup. Obliviousness (wow, that's actually a word. XD) is a curse. Ah, well. I'm the author!–insert evil laugh here–**

**On C3: Yeah, I agree with you there. If it makes sense to review the chapter, then I do. (I think that sentence makes sense…) O.o I don't think that makes sense yet at the same time it does, O.O We're on the same page. I mean, seriously, the next language my mom wants me to learn is German! OMG, that must be so unnerving but in a way hilarious if you see stupid looks on your classmates or teacher's faces. O.o But you're lucky! At least none of you know the answer! (Well, sort of lucky, unless the teacher calls on you. O.o) I have to move to a French school this year, and I'm the one who won't understand a single thing! They don't even have FSL! Ah, French. Torture, pure, utter torture. T.T I wanna go on some kind of strike…LMAO.**

**On C6: Haha, lolz. Yeah, I decided to put some humor. XD. I didn't want it to be too heavy…result of that is different moods. LOL. Haha, in this fic, Kitsuneme isn't that laid back, 'cause he gets uptight sometimes. I know he's not really like that, but, yeah. Koko is the more laid back one, but sometimes Kitsuneme is like that too. When Koko involves Anna though, something like that happens. XD. I cracked myself up. For the update thing, I don't know how either. I guess I was born like that…? I can't do that typing thingy, I actually type a different way. And it's slower. But I've gotten so used to it. Habit. But I like this story so much that ideas keep me going faster than necessary…? Now if only my family's laptop could be connected all the time, I could update even faster. T.T But sadly, It's not like that…Glad I gave someone inspiration! XD. Hehe, I get it, but at the same time I don't. Guess I might be able to get it when I read the second chapter of Missing…? Anyways, you're welcome!!!**

**I almost forgot the disclaimer. O.O I do not own GA, or something else that's mentioned here. (Hehe.) I only own the plot, (I think so. I haven't seen anything exactly like this…or even the idea. O.O Tell me if you have. XD) Mikio Yamamoto, Haina Jikumaru and Nanami Miyuki.**

**Here's the 6****th****! (There might be another song in this chapter…)**

**BTW, pay attention to that thing underneath. And every other thing that has that same layout.**

**----------------------------0*^*0-------------------------------**

_**As much as it hurts...**_

_**And as painful it is…**_

_**I'll handle it, for you…**_

_**I'll let you go...**_

_***-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*And that's a promise I'll keep.*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-***_

_**Because this is how my life goes, now.**_

**HotaruPOV**

When I was pretty sure I was out of his sight, I sped up, running. I felt his gaze on my back, and when he let me go, I saw a kind of sadness, yearning, in his eyes. And…something else. Something else that I didn't know, but immediately made me curious. It was like he was hiding something from me, but wanted to tell me. Like…Like he couldn't stand to be away from me. But…I didn't understand it…at all. He isn't making anything easier for me, in fact, he's making it more confusing than ever, and me, curious. What did he really feel, when he looked at me like that? I never saw that look in his eyes. He looked like he was mentally asking me something, pleading. And for some reason…I wanted to cry. But out of what? Because this time, it wasn't because of sadness…or was it? _Was_ it out of sadness, but for a different reason? _Was_ it out of heartbreak, but not because of Mikan? I was more confused than ever, us both, I could tell. But I can't take a chance and tell him. For once, Hotaru Imai, known to be an ice queen, is backing down on something. For once, I'm assuming instead of listing the facts to prove it. For once…I fell in love. And for once, for once in my life, I'm scared, afraid to be rejected, and afraid to take a chance. Because maybe I realized, maybe I assumed, maybe I didn't, love…it isn't something you can calculate. It isn't something you can control. It happens, and because it does, heartbreak, relationships, murders, wars, have happened. All because of love. Because it isn't something you might be able to get again. Once you realize, grab on, and never let go…And I'm not talking about family.

Heartbreak…It's horrible to experience. But if you really love the person…who loves someone else, if you really love that person, try to let go. Try to let go and face it, suck it up. Because loving doesn't mean scoring that person. It means that if you love that person, and if he, or she, doesn't love you back, you should accept it, and accept that someone else is that person's happiness. And as much as it hurts, withstand it, and live your life to the fullest. But I'm not like that. I've never experienced this, and I know, I'm not exactly an expert. I'm not strong, but weak. Because I know that if I was strong, I could endure this. But as of now, my heart isn't accepting anything. It still beats for you, and it hurts, it hurts so much that I've taken to running away from you. It hurts so much that I decided to isolate myself from a lot of people, more that I did before. It hurts so much that I cried. It hurts so much, because I loved you, and I couldn't do anything about it, anything at all.

Because I finally accepted it, not just realized it, so much so I could shout it out, yet not.

Yes, I finally accepted the fact.

I love you, Ruka Nogi.

But I know you can never love me back.

And that's the thing I will never in my life accept.

**RukaPOV**

I stood there, my hand still frozen where I had let her wrist go. I stared far longer at the direction she had walked, long after she was gone from my sight. I love her; I accepted it already, a long time ago. When one time, after a few weeks of being thirteen, she blackmailed me again. But when she looked back, she smiled a small smile, meant for me. And then, I didn't see someone cold, who didn't care for anyone at all. Not even close. No, I saw the caring person underneath. And even though it was for a brief few seconds, I saw. I saw who she really was, and I realized, for the first time, how beautiful she was. I realized that she was beautiful in her own way, inside, and out. I finally opened my eyes that day, and I was glad. Because I finally found the one for me, and I didn't have to compete against my best friend anymore. I finally saw a person, and I was probably one of the first few people who had seen her like this, if I wasn't the first. And I vowed, I would tell her one day. Because at a young age for love, I had actually found it, and I was wise not to let go of her. But now…now what am I doing? I'm distancing from her, no, she's distancing from me. But what was I to do? I could do nothing. I'm pretty sure that I could do nothing…but wait. Wait for her to tell me why she distanced herself, and wait, wait for the chance to tell her the words I so long wanted to tell her, and wanted her to hear. For now, I could do nothing but wait for the chance, and I've waited for so long, because it was never the right time, the right moment. But one of these days, I will tell her, and if I get rejected, and see she loves someone else, I'll watch her from the sidelines, even if it will turn out painful.

Because I love her.

And I always will, no matter what happens.

And when she tells me why she distanced herself, no matter how horrible the reason is, I'll tell her.

Once and for all.

**In class the next day, KokoPOV…**

Natsume must have sensed Ruka and Hotaru's auras, because he looked a bit worried, and confused. Of course, it's only a bit because Natsume isn't one to show his emotions, but still. And he faced me, giving me a look that I should read his mind, and so I did. _They feel despair. They're confused and worried,_ he thought. _That's what I sense off their auras_ I read Hotaru and Ruka's minds, my face contorted in curiosity. _I'll wait until she nears me, and gives me a chance to tell her. I'll wait until she nears me, and listen to why she always ran away,_ was all that Ruka thought Hotaru, on the other hand, thought this: _I'll be strong, and withstand the fact that you still like her. But from the way you're acting, I'd say you love her. _They were more puzzled than ever. We have to fix this, and soon. I ripped a page out of one of my notebooks and wrote something on it. _We have 2 fix this,_ I wrote. _We need 2 meet w/ the othrs aftr class 's more than setting them up. it's whacked, lyk their going 2 commit suicide…not tht they will._ I passed it to Kitsuneme, on my left side, because Hotaru might see it if I pass it to Sumire or Natsume. He immediately opened it, wrote something, and passed it back to me when Jin-Jin-I mean Jinno-oh, what the heck, I'll just call him Jin-Jin. It's not like he has the mind reading alice, like me. I opened it, and it said, _then lets tell them aftr, duh. where 2? & wat r u talking abt? fix wat? wat happnd 2 h & r? _I rolled my eyes, then clicked my pen and wrote back_, dude, u r so uptight evr since yesterday. get ovr it man. & I dunno. we hav 2 ask them 2, duh. & I was talking abt those 2, yes. could u b nemore obvious? Nat sensed sumthing weird fr. them. they wer confused or sumthing._ I tossed it to him and he passed it back, the note bearing the message, _oh_. I rolled my eyes and stashed the note in my pocket. Well, just have to wait until the end of class…And then I realized. Jin-Jin was calling my name…and I had missed half the lesson. Shoot. Better read his mind…unless he's good at guarding it. Prepare for a shock, Koko. Literally. Well, I have to take a chance…

**After class, sakura tree, NatsumePOV…**

I went beside Koko. "So?" I asked him. "What'd you get?"

"They're confused. We need to clear the confusion, not just set them up. We need to get the others." I nodded curtly.

"You're not much of an idiot as cat-dog makes you on to be." He shrugged and smirked. Sumire went beside us.

"Don't call me cat-dog…_ever,"_ she told me. I smirked at her. She ignored me. "So Koko, where do we go?"

"What?!?! You were listening all this time?"

"Doy. What an idiot…" Sumire shook her head.

"So, Sumi," he started off. But I interrupted him.

"Literally." I smirked. Then the others went with us.

"Ha, nice, Nat," Yuu said, chuckling. Kitsuneme smirked at his best friend.

"Lay off, Kit," Koko grumbled.

"You _wanted_ to be pulp," Kitsuneme muttered.

"Grudge-keeper."

"You lay off. Who said I was holding a grudge? Bloody hell, Koko."

"Where are you living, in the Harry Potter movies?" Koko retorted.

"Not like you don't watch them," Kitsuneme shot back.

"Not like _you_ don't." Kitsuneme smirked at his best friend's retort. Ah, upperhand.

"Who ever said that?"

"Damn."

"Fuck it. The hell. Clear it up. Basically, Kitsuneme likes Anna. Ok? And seriously, a fight concerning Harry Potter. You two are truly idiots." Sumire said throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

"Drama Queen," Koko muttered.

"What, found someone else to 'love'? Daniel Radcliffe, huh? I want to murder you right now, Sumire," Kitsuneme mumbled.

"Yeah, go ahead, but Anna will get mad, won't she? And no, I'm not in love with Daniel Radcliffe," Sumire teased. Anna and Kitsuneme blushed. "I swear…" Kitsuneme muttered.

"Keep going, it's not gonna help you though. Now, as I was saying, where do we go?"

"And how did you know?"

"Um, hello, I can read."

"Sakura tree?" Mikan asked.

"Why not? I'll tell you guys everything there along with Kit. Let's go," Koko walked faster towards the direction of the sakura tree. Hm, seems Anna and Kitsuneme forgot what Sumire had said.

**At the sakura tree AnnaPOV…**

When we went there, Koko and Kitsu-chan told us what happened or what the other (Koko) told him (Kitsuneme). Koko was the one who talked the most. But as they were talking, all of a sudden three girls walked towards us. They were in the middle school uniform, so obviously they were in the middle school section, like us. One girl had light brown hair, almost elbow-length, in a ponytail and she had pink eyes. Another girl had elbow-length blonde hair with orange highlights and reddish-pink eyes. Her hair was in a side ponytail. The last one had waist length indigo colored hair in a black headband with a bow and blue-green eyes. Nonoko looked up. "Oh, hello. Do you need help with something?" Everyone looked at the three girls. The girl with indigo hair smiled. "Actually, we want to ask you something, so, yes."

"Oh, ok. Shoot."

"Well, you are all friends with two people named Hotaru Imai and Ruka Nogi, am I right?" We nodded. "So…do all of you know about Ruka's crush?"

"Are you another fangirl?" Natsume asked them suspiciously.

"Nope. None of us are. Actually, I'm friends with both Hotaru and Ruka, those two are friends with Ruka, so we were going to ask you to help us with something…" They sat down on the grass.

"Hmm…I'm suspicious, but, ok."

"Well, do you know about Ruka's crush?" We all nodded again. "We also know about his crush, Hotaru."

"Oh, I get it," Natsume said.

"Exactly," the blue-green eyed girl nodded. "That's it. And from what I could infer, apparently you have a plan to get them together, yes?" We replied with a nod. "Well, we do too. And I think we all agree that the more people in, the better."

"So, you're suggesting…?" Yuu asked, pushing his glasses up.

"Exactly. So, do you agree?" We all nodded.

"Then I suppose," the brown haired girl said. "You should know our names and alices. I'm Nanami Miyuki. Shape-shifting alice. Call me Nanami or Nami."

"Haina Jikumaru. Prediction alice. Call me Haina, or whatever name this idiot or Nami calls me. " She poked the indigo-haired girl. "She doesn't sound like the idiot she is now, but trust me, she's an idiot and will never stop being one, that's what I think." "So mean, Haina-chan." The girl pouted. "Anyway, I'm Mikio Yamamoto. I have the mind reading and chemistry alices, and you can call me Mikio or Miki."

"How about you guys? Obviously, Miki here knows all of your names. But Hai-chan and I don't…except for Natsume Hyuuga."

"I'm Mikan Sakura! I have the nullification alice. You can call me Mikan, and some of my friends here call me Mi-chan, so that's okay, too!" Mikan said in a cheerful voice.

"I'm Kokoroyomi. I have the mind reading alice also, and you can call me Koko…but permy girl here sometimes calls me by my full name when she wants to make me deaf." Koko jerked his thumb towards Sumire. At this most of them laughed, except for Sumire, who hit Koko on the head. "I'm Sumire Shouda. I have cat-dog predisposition and you can call me Sumire or Sumi." Laughing a bit, Koko said, "yeah, or permy, permy girl, perms…Um, hmm…what are the other ones again?" Sumire put an arm around Koko's neck and tried to strangle him. Koko backed away. "Switching with you, Noko." Nonoko went to Koko's old spot. "I'm Kitsuneme. I have the flying alice. Call me anything Koko calls me…well, mostly."

"Anna Umenomiya! I have the cooking alice, and you can call me Anna."

"I'm Nonoko Ogasawara! I have the chemistry alice, and you can call me Nonoko or Noko."

"And I'm Yuu Tobita. I have the illusion alice. Call me Yuu."

"Well, guys, let me tell you this. We all have the same plan, which makes this a whole lot easier." Mikio smirked evilly. "And having two people able to read minds is better. Now, Koko, read my mind, then tell it to you-know-who."

**KokoPOV**

_I know what Hotaru feels._

That single sentence appeared in my head, and I found myself smirking back at her.

_This is going to be good._

_Oh, you bet your life on it._

**HotaruPOV**

I buried my face deep within my pillows. Why does he do this to me? Why can't he just tell me what he wants to tell me? Why?

_Maybe what you are too scared to tell him is the same thing he has no courage to tell you._

Mikio's words entered my mind. _But it can't be. I won't believe it. It's all going to be a joke, if he ever says that to me. He'll have a good laugh, won't he?_ I thought bitterly._ But then again, you're the one distancing yourself, and you expect him to be able to tell you something like this. If you won't give him a chance to actually talk to you, he'll never tell you what you sense he has to. __**As much as it hurts…I'll handle it, for you…**__I'll try, but I have to prepare myself, because one day you might be gone._

**RukaPOV**

I finally got out of my stupefied state. "Come on, Usagi. Let's go." Usagi ran beside me as I walk to my dorm thinking deeply. _What was her message?_ I thought. _What is she trying to tell me? _I sank into my bed, arms behind my head. _She can't tell me now…__**And as painful as it is…I'll let you go…**__For now, because you're not ready, but you will be._

_**R and H POV**_

_And that's a promise I'll keep._

This is how my life goes now, confusions and all.

So I'll wait for a chance. But until then, being confused will be on a daily basis.

Wait for me, because I'm waiting for you.

**HotaruPOV**

And as I kept my face hidden in my pillows for the longest time, I turned around, my face facing the ceiling. A song clicked into my mind, and I sang it, because it was what I was feeling.

**(Broken-hearted Girl by Beyonce)**

_**You're everything I thought you never were  
And nothing like I thought you could've been  
But still you live inside of me  
So tell me how is that?**_

There were a few parts that weren't true…Like this one. He was everything I thought he was and more…

_**You're the only one I wish I could forget  
The only one I'd love to not forgive  
And though you break my heart, you're the only one  
And though there are times when I hate you  
Cause I can't erase  
The times that you hurt me  
And put tears on my face  
And even now while I hate you  
It pains me to say  
I know I'll be there at the end of the day**_

Sometimes I did want to forget you…Because then I would be able to live my life not wanting to cry every second I know you still liked my best friend. But I think you've upgraded to loving her, even if Natsume has her already. I really would love to not forgive you, but I can't help it. Because, yes, I've thought it a thousand times, I love you. When I have those times, those times when I think I hate you, I know I don't, because I always forgive you right after. And I always try to handle the hurt I've bottled up inside my heart. I can't forget those few times, when no one was around, that I had cried. Before Sumire and Koko knew, it's true, I had cried because of you. But if I cried then, I predict that I will get hurt a lot more in the future. And as much as I want to stop getting hurt, as much as I want to be as emotionless as I pretended I was, I can't. This hurts more than any other thing I've experienced. And it's true. By the end of the day, it had already been a long time since I had forgiven you again.

_**I don't wanna be without you babe  
I don't want a broken heart  
Don't wanna take a breath without you babe  
I don't wanna play that part  
I know that I love you  
But let me just say  
I don't want to love you in no kind of way no no  
I don't want a broken heart  
And I don't wanna play the broken-hearted girl…No...No  
No broken-hearted girl  
I'm no broken-hearted girl**_

I can't live without you, I admit it. But I can't live with a broken heart either. What am I doing here, trying my best not to breakdown for the eighth time? I don't want to love you in any way, but I do. I don't want to have to be the broken-hearted girl, but I am. And I don't want to be someone with a broken heart, but did I ever have a choice ever since loving you?

_**Something that I feel I need to say  
But up to now I've always been afraid  
That you would never come around  
And still I want to put this out  
You say you've got the most respect for me  
But sometimes I feel you're not deserving me  
And still you're in my heart  
But you're the only one and yes  
There are times when I hate you  
But I don't complain  
Cause I've been afraid that you would've walk away  
Oh but now I don't hate you  
I'm happy to say  
That I will be there at the end of the day**_

I've been afraid, yes, afraid, that one day you wouldn't be there anymore. But are you trying to get me by your side while I'm gone, or are you enjoying the silence? I want to take this away, this love. You act like you have the most respect for me, but I bet it's only because I used to blackmail you. But still, you're the only one who stole my heart. And when I think I hate you for those few moments, I don't complain. I was afraid you would stray away from me, but no. It's the other way around. Sometimes I'm happy to say that I'll be there for you, but other times…it seems like a curse.

_**I don't wanna be without you babe  
I don't want a broken heart  
Don't wanna take breath with out you babe  
I don't wanna play that part  
I know that I love you  
But let me just say  
I don't want to love you in no kind of way no no  
I don't want a broken heart  
And I don't wanna play the broken-hearted girl...No…No  
No broken-hearted girl**_

I can't help it. Even if I'm away from you, I still need to have the image of you to go on with the day.

_**Now I'm at a place I thought I'd never be…Oooo  
I'm living in a world that's all about you and me…yeah  
Ain't gotta be afraid my broken heart is free  
To spread my wings and fly away  
Away With you  
yeah yeah yeah, ohh ohh ohh**_

I wish that would happen. I wouldn't have to worry about my broken heart, and I could be in a world where there's you and me. If you only loved me back…

_**I don't wanna be without my baby  
I don't wanna a broken heart  
Don't want to take a breath with out my baby  
I don't wanna play that part  
I know that I love you  
But let me just say  
I don't want to love you in no kind of way..No..No  
I don't want a broken heart  
I don't wanna play the broken-hearted girl..No..No..  
No broken-hearted girl  
Broken-hearted girl No…no…  
No broken-hearted girl  
No broken-hearted girl**_

I go on without you by my side, but you around me. What can I do to make up my mind? Do I talk to you, and risk breaking down more, following by questions I can't answer, or be away from you, never talk to you, but have myself breaking down fewer times than has already happened?

As the music in my head faded away, I hadn't realized that I was already crying silently. I forgive you again, Ruka. I forgive you.

**I just thought of Nanami's alice that moment. LOL. And you guessed it, (maybe, lol) the other thing I don't own is Harry Potter. Mikan has the S.E.C.S alices, but she didn't tell them because Persona told her not to tell anyone…yeah, just pretend that's what it is. If I ever change this title or something, the alternate title will be 'as much as it hurts'.**

**Whoo hoo! The next chapter will be 'the day'. LOL. If you want one, two, three, or whatever number chapters after the next one, review me. This chapter was sort of cut short, but yeah…I decided to be evil (?).**

**ONE more thing: REVIEW PLEASE!!! Questions, comments, criticism, praise, encouragement and whatever else that you can think of is allowed. But sadly, to those who hate this story, (T.T) not that I know any, (LOL) NO FLAMES!!!**


	8. Eventful Day, The Dance Just Adds to It

**HOLY, FOURTEEN FRICKING DAYS!**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**.|neleenchan:3|.: O.o. If you aren't better yet, I hope you get better soon! O.o LOL, I wanted to put humor, hehe. So far I had like 5 comments from that, especially Koko's very noticeable hints, Kitsuneme being uptight, and Sumire's smart ass, teasing, and angry (?) comments O.o I didn't know that it could relate so much…Omigosh, I'm so sorry! Hehe, -then sweatdrop- LOL, it seems like there's more KoMire than NatsuMikan. O.o (I keep doing that, it's weird…XD) Then I take it you want more chapters, eh? This was supposed to be the second to last chapter, then probably a sequel, but I might put more chapters and stuff, so please fill out that capital-ed thing down there…:D Oh, tell me if you want a sequel, arigatou!!!**

**Joanie: Yep yep! Late review! Yeah, sue me…hehe. I really can't get enough of that sue me thing, lol. Arigatou!**

**Lucky-chan: LOLOL. That's so funny. Hmm…Evil? *gives mysterious look* Maybe…Originally I was going to divide it in two-five parts because I got no reviews, but slowly I got reviews from my FAITHFUL (emphasize it even more) reviewers. Hehe. Ya, I know!!! That's so much! Especially since I have a suspicion that my mom likes pressuring me. O.o I actually don't know why German…Or maybe I forgot again. O.o Sometimes I wish alices were real, so that I could somehow get the memory alice or the memory alice stone…Just not to remember EVERYTHING…Or else, yeah…*shivers* O.o Haha, that's so funny. And somehow he doesn't get found out? O.o Imagine he got fired for that…Or something. Now, I'm not sure whether to put LOL or what. O.o **

**Author's notes, **_**PLEASE READ ALL OF IT:**_

**To Joanie and the people who want to see the girls' dresses: Don't worry! I'm already starting on the dresses…drawing it is easier. :P But I'm not in the drawing mood (*GASP!*) so I might actually search and search and search…you get the point. It's only a MIGHT though…**

**I think lots of you aren't reading my A/N's 'cause their insanely long. Don't worry, the A/N's are REALLY important now. Like if you want to read my next stories, if you want to make sure what you're reading isn't actually in the real thing, so on, so forth. **

**To Luckystar222 and anyone who's reading this story who read Bringing You Back so far, don't worry! I uploaded a chapter! But I took out the chapter that I might not continue it, so it will say that there's five chapters and five reviews. I know you read my A/N's JJ-chan, (or most of them) you gave me a clue. So I can just write it here! O.o I'm being weird again…**

**And just in case you guys aren't looking at this insanely long…thing, here's what I want you to answer in your reviews (I'm putting caps lock so you people can see it and not ignore it :D):**

**DO YOU WANT A SEQUEL?**

**DO YOU WANT MORE CHAPTERS?**

**DO YOU WANT MORE CONFLICT/OBSTACLES?**

**DO YOU WANT MORE CONFUSION?**

**DO YOU WANT LESS LONGER AUTHOR'S NOTES? (Just kidding, ignore that. :D)**

**(Like the real one…O.o) DO YOU WANT MORE/LESS/'WHATEVER' ______ (state what here)?**

**DO YOU WANT ONE CHAPTER DEDICATED TO A COUPLE? (Doesn't matter which one.)**

**The layout will be like this:**

**Q1: Do you want a sequel?**

**A: (your answer here)**

**Q2: Do you want more chapters?**

**A: (your answer here)**

**Q3: Do you want more conflict/obstacles?**

**A: (your answer here)**

**Q4: Do you want more confusion?**

**A: (your answer here)**

**Q5: Do you want more/less/'whatever' (state what here)?**

**A: (your answer here)**

**Q6: Do you want one chapter dedicated to a couple?**

**A: (your answer here)-(name of couple if yes)**

**I'm too lazy to look at it, so that's why the layout has the questions. :P**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gakuen Alice. I only own the plot, (I'm pretty sure. If my plots are sort of similar to something, I always put something else to make it different and affect the whole thing, therefore making it unique. :P) Haina Jikumaru, Nanami Miyuki and Mikio Yamamoto. Oh, I also own Sumire's smart aleck ways, and Kitsuneme and Koko's comebacks. LMAO, I loved that.**

**THE YOU-KNOW-WHAT (you should know) IS TODAYYYY!!!!! WHOO!!! LOL. Well, I'm excited about this chappie for sure. It all depends on your reviews, because normally this would be the long chapter, and the second to last one. But now you can decide how many chapters you want, and if you want a sequel! Whoo hoo**

**By the way, when Hotaru went to the Northern Forest (that's the 'dangerous' one isn't it?) she's sorta used to it. So it doesn't really alarm her except for example if the AAO comes.**

**The oak tree part, I just made it up, so yeah…**

**And Haina, Nanami and Mikio know Youchi and Aoi because they went to Central Town with the others…or something…**

**Youchi and Aoi are both 14 here, since Youchi originally would be 8, 7 or 6 years younger than the gang but Aoi is only one year younger, and I like it better when You-chan and Aoi are the same age. Plus, they're kawaii together (:D) so I might add them as a couple too. *wink wink***

**Sumire still sorta admires Natsume and Ruka, but she's not part of the fanclub. The fanclub has no president anymore, 'cause they're still arguing about who. For Sumire it's more of a brother-sister admire, but she's sarcastic with Natsume.**

**Just imagine the guys wearing formal shirts and pants. They can have a jacket or not. Like Natsume would be black pants, red shirt, black jacket. Ruka would be dark blue pants, light blue shirt. So on. I'm only describing what the girls are wearing because you could easily picture what the guys are wearing after that little thing up there. :D Well I hope so.**

**I made up the ballroom thing, and look at the author's notes underneath after you read this chapter. ALL OF IT. ******

**In class (the next day), SumirePOV…**

"EEEEE!!!!!" Mikio, Anna, Nonoko, Mikan and I squealed. Today was the day. All our hard work would pay off. We were sure the plan would end absolutely _perfect_, especially with Haina, Mikio and Nanami by our side. Haina and Nanami smiled widely. "Oh, I can't _wait_ for tonight!" Nonoko squealed.

"I _know_, right?! This is so foolproof!!!" I agreed, squealing as I did.

"EEE!!!" We squealed again.

"Guys…" Haina whined. "Stop squealing, you are literally breaking my ears!"

"Aw…" Mikio said. "But I want to squeal!"

"Well, I don't want you to! We're all excited, but your squealing is bad enough. I don't want my eardrums broken."

"Hmph! Fine!" Mikio crossed her arms and pouted.

"Um…what are you guys talking about, foolproof?" A person asked.

"Nothing!" Mikan said cheerfully, and flashed the person a perky smile.

"Hey girls," Koko said, slipping into his seat. "Excited?"

"You don't have any idea how much, Koko," Anna said, letting out a tiny, 'eee!' Nanami checked the clock on top of the blackboard. "Shoot! Miki, Haina, we got to go to our class!" Haina looked at the clock too.

"Yikes! Come on, Miki, let's go!" Nanami ran out of the room, Haina following as she grabbed Mikio's wrist.

"AHH!!! HAINA-CHAN, SLOW DOWN!!!" Everyone sweatdropped.

**After class, NormalPOV…**

"EEEE!!!" The girls squealed again.

"HOLY CRAP, DUDE, YOU PEOPLE ARE SQUEALING MORE THAN THE OTHER GIRLS!!!!!" Haina yelled.

"_Hai_-na-chan, it's because we _have_ a reason to squeal louder," Mikio explained, dramatically sighing.

"Damn you, Mikio," Haina groaned. "Really."

"Whatever, Haina."

"What time is it?" Mikan asked.

"Oh my gosh! We only have eight and a half hours until the dance!" Mikio looked at her watch in horror.

"OMG, are you kidding me? With everything going on, we won't have enough time to get ourselves ready, along with Hotaru!!!" Sumire exclaimed.

"Let's go! Where's Hotaru?" Nanami asked.

"I think she's in her room. Let's go get her, alright?" Mikan said determinedly.

"Right!" Sumire, Mikio, Anna, Nonoko, Nanami and Haina agreed enthusiastically. With that, they ran to Hotaru's room as fast as they could.

**HotaruPOV**

I entered my room and closed the door. Then I got the invention I was working on, stashed it in my bag, opened the door again, locked it, and walked to the Northern Forest to work on the invention. As I walked to the Northern Forest, my mind unconsciously wandered to the thought of yesterday. Am I really this hopeless? _Sometimes I wish I could…_I sighed. I'm not going to finish that thought. I looked around, making sure no one followed me, and sped up. Deciding to run, I reached the Northern Forest in less time than I usually took. I walked cautiously as I searched for the bench I usually sat at. You can never be too careful in the Northern Forest. Usually I wasn't this alert when I was here, but I don't want to bump into someone this time, and my instincts was saying that someone was probably there. When I found the bench though, I found out it was preoccupied. I was right. But by who? None other than Kitsuneme. And when I inched forward a bit, I saw Natsume there too. I sighed mentally. Natsume will know I'm here. I was about to use an invention to let me go back to my room unnoticed, but there was that familiar voice, Natsume's, to be specific, saying, "Hotaru, I know your aura. I know you're there." Shoot. Maybe I should have used an invention coming here. Damn. Sighing, I moved forward to let them see me. "Hi," I said quietly. They looked a bit startled, since I rarely greet people verbally. Yeah, well, that was before I loved Ruka, that was before I cried, that was before I showed more emotion, that was before I became more nervous, that was before I became a bit nicer in terms of showing it…Need I say more?

"Um…Hi?" Kitsuneme said. I raised an eyebrow then rolled my eyes.

"I think you're becoming Koko." He gave me a are-you-kidding-me look that a mother would have on her face. I shrugged.

"So…What are you doing here?" I asked. "In case you're wondering, yes, Kitsuneme, I'm talking to you."

"Why me?" He asked.

"Natsume makes sense. You…Not so much."

"Ahehehe…" He scratched the back of his head. "Is it so bad to talk with Nat in the Northern Forest?"

"No…Just peculiar." I narrowed my eyes.

"O-Oh…If it's so…um…weird…I'll just…you know…um…yeah…"

"You don't have to go anywhere. You could stay if you want to. I don't decide where you go…Apparently it's a 'free world' as they say."

"Don't say that to polka, she'll think howalons are free and next thing you know she'll become a thief." I smirked.

"Could happen."

"So…What are you doing here, Hotaru?" Kitsuneme asked.

"Working on a invention."

"What is it this time?"

"I'd rather not say…"_ It's something that I hope will make me less emotional like before, so that I could keep myself in line…Maybe even making my love for Ruka disappear…_ "O-kay?" Kitsuneme said awkwardly, as if he didn't get it, or somewhere along those lines. I rolled my eyes. "See you; I'll just be working on my invention. Bye." I walked to the other place I went, an oak tree. I threw my bag up the curve of a branch, and climbed up to sit on the branch. I leaned back, and after a few minutes I took my bag and opened it. Sighing, I took the invention out and looked at it. It looked like a packet of gum. It wasn't finished, but so far it did. It wasn't really like gum. Truth be told you would chew it, and swallow it. And then somehow it would affect blah, blah, blah. I'm really too lazy and my mind is too clouded with thoughts to explain an invention to apparently no one. Basically, I hope it works when it's finished. But somehow it was like I wanted to stay like this-except for the broken-hearted part…Obviously…

**NormalPOV, with the girls…**

They finally got to Hotaru's door. Panting, Haina knocked on the door a few times.

No one answered.

It wasn't like they did or did not expect it, but there weren't any sounds…No shuffling or anything.

"Where could she be?" Mikan asked, cocking her head as she tapped her chin with her right index finger. They all sweatdropped. "Um…Mikan-chan…She could be in her lab…" Nanami mumbled.

"Oh yeah! Why didn't I think of that?" They sweatdropped again.

"Girls, we needa getta' move on!" Sumire said, snapping all of them back into reality.

"Are 'needa' and 'getta'' even words?" Haina said, raising an eyebrow.

"I dunno. It's sorta slang I guess…But we are not here to worry about pronunciation and stuff! We're here to get Hotaru!"

"Dude, go to her fricking lab then," Koko said, appearing behind Mikan. Mikan jumped anime style.

"KYA! Koko, don't DO THAT!!!" Koko sweatdropped.

"Sorry Mikan."

"Apology accepted," Mikan said flashing him a wide smile as if nothing happened.

_Moody much?_ Nanami thought, lifting her eyebrow. "Hm, I agree," Mikio suddenly said. "WAIT A MINUTE!"

"What?" Nanami asked her.

"We need someone to be able to spy on those two when we're not around or something!"

"Who? And wow, you just thought of that _now?"_ Nanami said sarcastically. Mikio popped a vein.

"Even so! It'll help!"

"Uh---huh."

"Whatever. I know the _perfect_ person!"

"Who?" Haina questioned.

"Youchi! And Aoi! Isn't it obvious?"

"That's people, not person, you dolt," Nanami and Haina said in unison. Mikio and the others sweatdropped.

"Oh yeah…I forgot." Nanami shook her head while Haina bumped her head on the wall repeatedly.

"You're even more hopeless than Ruka," Haina told her, still banging her head on the wall.

"And if you bang your head any longer, you'll make a dent," Sumire said.

"Fine…" Haina stopped bumping her head on the wall and instead turned around to lean on it. Suddenly Koko clapped his hands, startling all of them. "What?"

"Hotaru's lab, go, now! He-llo? Do you want the plan to go well, or not?" Koko demanded.

"Wah! Let's go!" Mikan and Mikio dragged the girls-including Koko.

"Whaaattt?!?!" Koko yelled, sounding retarded as he got dragged. "Why me?!"

"'Cause it is!"

**HotaruPOV**

I sighed, and put the invention back in my bag. I leaned back and looked at the sky. Was it always going to be like this? When would I get my happiness, my peace? This isn't some fairytale, I know. But it would be nice if I could be happy now, even just for a little bit, and have my mind off of Ruka. But now it's never that way. Now I have to deal with everything coming my way. But it's too much. When would I find you, happiness? When would I finally be content, if not myself? When would I be able to go through the day without crying, or wanting to cry, or hoping, hoping for a sign that I could finally live in a different form of bliss? Ruka…he's my happiness, yet the reason for my sorrow. Would I find…would I find an alternate happiness, even just for a while? Tell me, God, tell me, would I? I closed my eyes for a bit and then opened them again. If I hadn't fallen in love with you, Ruka, I wonder what state I would be in right now. But all I can do is think about you. All I can do is cry because of the truth, even though I want to take it. I bit my lip, and then I realized tears are slowly falling down my face, again.

**RukaPOV**

"Ugh," I groaned, trudging through the Northern Forest. "Darn it." Why was I saying this? Fan girls, it's self-explanatory. They almost ripped my clothes off. I looked like a hobo or something. "Whoa," someone said. I whipped my head in the direction. Kitsuneme and Natsume. "What happened to you?" Kitsuneme asked, looking at me incredulously. I groaned again.

"Ugh. It was those fan girls." Kitsuneme snorted.

"Duuude, harsh." Then he smirked. "They can't get enough of ya' man."

I moaned. "What about Natsume?"

"They still go after me, but not as much because I think they're plotting to 'murder' Mikan-not that they could with me there. They don't know about your crush or love, whatever, but if they did, they would succeed."

"Wha-what?!" I blushed furiously. "Don't say it out loud! There could be people here! And what are you talking about?! She could scare them away, and if not, I…I would be…I would there for her!"

Natsume and Kitsuneme exchanged glances then smirked. "You tell me not to say it out loud, but you practically confessed, dude."

_Natsume and Kitsuneme POV_

What he doesn't know is that there's a hidden meaning to that.

**RukaPOV**

I blushed again. "It's not like she's here, is she?" I looked around from where I was, hoping desperately that Hotaru wasn't there. Not now, I'll confess later on…

They smirked again. "No, we didn't see her," Kitsuneme said, but lower than his usual voice. I wonder why…

"Hey, dude, you 'kay?"

"Yeah, just need to, you know, cough. Ahem…ahem ahem…" Kitsuneme cleared his throat out, but it sounded…weird. You know, not…normal.

**NatsumePOV**

I want to strangle Kitsuneme right now. Seriously, he needs to leave the coughing and stuff to me. As weird as it would sound for me to 'clear my throat', it's better than this idiot pretending to cough. I'm so lucky Koko didn't go instead, because he would maybe do it worse…_Maybe._ For Yuu it would be weird…a bit. But the lowering voice part is pretty good. We don't want Hotaru figuring out she 'wasn't his 'love'' now, do we?"

"O-kay then…" Ruka said awkwardly. "So…um…What, uh, brings you here?"

"You ask us that now. Wow, Ruka," I said.

"Well I don't know! It's today, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, Natsume. I…I think I'm planning to…confess today."

You know, if I was drinking or eating something, I would have spit it out, and I know it's the same for Kitsuneme, because we both blurted out,

"_**WHAT?!?!**__**"**_

"DUDE! What the hell is wrong with you two? What's so bad about it?" Ruka jumped back a bit at our outburst.

"Ruka, that isn't bad. In fact, it's-" Kitsuneme cut me off.

"_GREAT!!!_ Holy, why the hell didn't you tell us sooner! Dude!" Kitsuneme said, very fast, in fact.

"What the hell! You guys almost gave me a heart attack! And Natsume Hyuuga, shouting? Wow," Ruka said, at first going dramatic, then teasing. "Shut up," I told him.

"Hey, it's all in good fun, Nat," he told me.

"Sure."

**With the girls and Koko, NormalPOV…**

"SHE'S NOT THERE!!!" Mikan screeched hysterically. They covered their ears.

"Mikan, CALM DOWN for pete's sake!" Koko told her.

"CALM DOWN?!" Mikan cried, once again hysterically. "HOW CAN I _CALM DOWN?!_ SHE ISN'T THERE, KOKO! _SHE ISN'T THERE!_ WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HER?!?! WHAT IF-"

"MIKAN! Please, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, SHUT UP!" Sumire told her. "We're all worried, but this isn't the last place she could be in! Screech when you know she's absolutely nowhere in Alice Academy!" Mikan sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Mikan hung her head and pouted slightly because she didn't know where Hotaru was.

"It's okay, Mikan-chan!" They told her. Mikan's head went up abruptly and she smiled widely at them.

"Where else could she be?" Nanami said, holding her chin. "Hmm…"

"Wait, I got it!" Haina said suddenly.

"What?" Anna and Nonoko asked together.

"Miki, where was that place we saw her last time? You're forgetful, but you'll remember something related to match-making and stuff. So where?"

"Hmm…It was outside, near the…near the Northern Forest! She couldn't be where she was last time, that's too out in the open! We would have seen her! The Northern Forest, guys! That's probably where she is! Come on!" Mikio ran to the direction of the Northern Forest, the rest of them following her.

**With the other boys…**

"So, Ruka, how are you gonna confess?" Kitsuneme asked interestedly. Natsume was too, but he didn't look as eager as Kitsuneme. Remember, he's still Natsume Hyuuga, even with all the changes, he's still pretty emotionless on the face. Unlike Hotaru, he wasn't heart-broken, and he wasn't going to cry if he did get heart-broken. He would be sad, yet happy, because then he would have had a chance to make Mikan stay away from him, to be safe. But that's not the case, and this isn't focused on Natsume and Mikan, but the confusing love of their best friends. Natsume, Koko and Sumire noticed that it was as if there was something keeping Hotaru and Ruka from confessing. Scratch that, Ruka confessing. With Hotaru being probably more puzzled than Ruka, it was a definite that she wouldn't confess any time soon, or at all. Not unless Ruka confessed, and she believed him. Mikio didn't know the two as well, even with her ability to read minds, which is why it was only the usual three. And also with the fact that they are in different classes, well, it makes sense, does it not?

"I…I don't really know. I'll confess my own way. Describing how much I love her can't be written or planned. In fact, I might not even describe my love for her fully. She's ignoring me, guys. I don't know why, but it makes me wonder if she does, or ever will, love me back. I'm skeptical now, because I don't know what her message is, so I might misunderstand her, if I am." Ruka's bangs covered his eyes, and he felt pain. Not physically, but mentally, at the thought of Hotaru ignoring him, like what she was doing now. Kitsuneme and Natsume looked at Ruka with pity, but all Natsume thought was, _I wish you knew how she really felt about you…_

"…Wow…That was…Wow…Sorry man…" Kitsuneme said. Natsume nodded with him, somewhat solemnly.

"Ruka-pyon…we're determined more than ever now…" Mikan's voice said. The three boys looked at the direction of the voice, and saw Mikan, Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, Koko, Mikio, Haina, Nanami and surprisingly Yuu.

"We…We're going to help you…" Anna said. Ruka didn't know they already were; they were afraid of the consequences. But now they're ready to tell him. And that's what they did. And they decided, now, they're going to involve Aoi, Youchi, Misaki and Tsubasa. The more people, like they said, the better. They knew, or, the people who knew them better knew, that they would be glad to help. Everyone who wasn't a fan girl or fan boy was waiting for them to be together, even before they knew of Ruka's 'more than crush'. They always thought they had the right chemistry. They were around each other a lot, they were comfortable, in ways, around each other, and so many more things they could name.

"…I think I would be glad for the help..." Ruka whispered. Joy and hurt mixed together in his heart. And he wasn't sure which would succeed, and become the product. All he knew was that maybe, just maybe, he would have a chance. A little hope made its way into the mix. Nothing was going to stop him from telling her tonight. Nothing.

**HotaruPOV**

I heard almost everything. And I knew he didn't love her anymore, but someone else. Someone else that I can tell he loves more than he used to love Mikan, and lot more at that. Another pang of sadness made its way into my heart. Dried tears flowed freely across my face once again, and I choked back something growing in my throat. Regret, maybe? But if yes, what for? The pain was almost unbearable, but I knew there was going to be more than this. I didn't want to find out how much. But for myself, for everyone that actually cares about me, I would still try to withstand it, though it wouldn't be much more until I was completely someone else, in acts, and my thoughts, mentally. I sniffed and took big gulps of air. My chest was heaving rapidly. All for him, this happens.

(*)

**NormalPOV, somewhere, about 3 hours later…**

"Aoi-chan?" Mikan asked after calling Aoi for the second time.

"Mikan-nee? Oh, sorry I didn't pick up."

"It's okay, but I need to ask you something. And…Is You-chan there with you?"

"Yeah, he's here."

"Well, I need to ask both of you something."

"Ok." Then Aoi's muffled voice said, "Youchi, get over here, this phone isn't cordless!"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Ok, Mikan-nee, what were you saying?"

"Well, Aoi, Youchi, could you help Ruka-pyon to confess to Hotaru with some of us?"

"Some?! After all those people agree it'll be like 15 people, idiot!" Natsume yelled from Anna's couch, since everyone involved so far was in Anna's room, except for the two they're helping.

"Pervert!"

"What the hell?! You call me a pervert at random times for no reason!"

Aoi broke what was about to become an argument between her brother and Mikan. "He's finally going to confess? Oh, this is great news!"

"Hn…So finally he realized he loves Hotaru-nee," Youchi suddenly said, sounding happy yet bored at the same time.

"You-chan, so rude!" Aoi scolded him playfully. From the other side, with Youchi and Aoi, Youchi let out a small smile.

"Wait a minute…finally?" Mikan and Aoi asked.

"You never noticed? He loved her before he knew and accepted it!"

"Well, he knows now, and I'm pretty sure he accepts that fact now. In fact he did a long time ago…I think."

"Hm, well, whatever. I'll help," Youchi told her.

"Same here!" Aoi chirped happily. "When do you plan on getting them together?"

"Erm…Today…Miki-chan thought of you guys late…" Mikan sweatdropped.

"Oh, well, it's okay! We'll still help, right Youchi?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Bye, nee-san!"

"Bye, Mikan-nee…"

"Bye Aoi, bye Youchi!"

Beep beep beep.

Aoi hung up.

"Ok, now for Tsubasa and Misaki-senpai!"

Ring ring ring!

Ring ring ring!

Ring ring ring!

"Hello?"

"Tsubasa-senpai!"

"Oh, hi Mikan! What's up?"

"I need to ask you and Misaki-senpai something."

"Ok, I'll just get Misaki next door." From his side, Tsubasa went out of his door and went to the one beside it.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Ok, I'm coming!" Misaki's voice was muffled as she made her way to the door. "Hi, may I-Tsubasa? What are you doing here?"

"So I can't visit you anymore?" Tsubasa asked her with a fake sad face.

Misaki smiled. "Yes you can." Misaki leaned over and kissed Tsubasa briefly on the cheek. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Mikan needs to ask us something." Tsubasa held up the phone. Apparently the cord was long enough. (-Sweatdrops at that thought.-) "Ok then." Tsubasa held up the phone to his ear again.

"Ok, Mikan? What do you need to ask us?"

"Could you help me and the others help Ruka-pyon to confess to Hotaru-chan?"

"WHAT?!?!" Tsubasa and Misaki shouted in shock. "HE'S GOING TO CONFESS?!?!"

"SHHH!" Lots of people said from the hallways and rooms, anime style. Tsubasa and Misaki were outside Misaki's room because the cord was too short. (-sweatdrops-)

"You figured it out, right, Tsubasa and Misaki-senpai?"

"Yup. That boy is way too obvious. But frankly, I think Hotaru likes-or is it loves-him back, even if she hasn't showed any clues if she does or does not love him," Misaki told her.

"Oh, that would be great!" Mikan sighed in bliss. "So you'll help us?" Misaki and Tsubasa sweatdropped.

"Uh, Mikan-chan, wasn't that already obvious?" Misaki asked awkwardly.

"It was?" The two 18 year olds fell down anime style.

**A bit later on, with Mikan and the others…**

Sumire checked her watch. "Girls, five hours and fifteen minutes to get ready!"

"Wah! Time passes so fast!" Mikio exclaimed.

"Um…" Was all Yuu, Kitsuneme and Koko could say.

"Come on girls! Get Hotaru!"

Then yet again, they ran as fast as they could to wherever Hotaru could be. And their first guess was the same as the one before.

The guys sweatdropped, yes, including Natsume.

"Did they forget that they went there before?" Koko and Yuu muttered. This made Kitsuneme and Natsume fall down anime style.

**With the girls…**

KNOCK KNOCK

"I bet it's them…" Hotaru whispered to herself, making a guess of who was knocking. And when she opened the door, she realized she was right. It was her friends…along with two other girls she had never seen before.

"Hotaru! There you are!" Mikan exclaimed happily.

"What do you want?" Hotaru asked them.

"He-_llo?!_ The Last Dance is tonight, Hotaru!" Sumire, Anna and Nonoko said in unison. _Oh…I forgot about that,_ she thought.

"Um…What does this have to do with me?"

"Ohmi-G! What did we buy dresses for?" Sumire good-naturedly scolded her as she put her hands on her hips. "I told you that you_ definitely_ had to go!"

"Do I really?" she asked them, sighing. She had to admit, it sounded like a sigh of defeat.

"YES!" They chorused except for the two other girls she didn't know.

"Wait…" Hotaru asked unexpectedly. "Who are they?" She pointed to the other two girls.

Mikio cheerily said, "Oh, those are my friends, Nanami Miyuki, or Nami, and Haina Jikumaru, or anything else that-"

"-this idiot calls me," the girl Hotaru presumed to be Haina finished.

"Meanie," Mikio said under her breath.

"I may be a 'meanie', but you know how I'm really like, and why I'm like this," Haina reminded her.

Mikio sighed. "Yeah, I know…"

"Now, you are coming with us whether you like it or not, Hotaru Imai!" Anna said in fake stern.

"Oh, God, why?" Hotaru said, looking up and raising her hands to heaven.

"Hotaru-chan, are you becoming a drama queen like Sumire?" Mikan asked cocking her head, making her look more curious. "No, definitely not, and if ever, not as much as Sumire is, for sure," Hotaru said, while at the same time Sumire whipped her head around to look at Mikan as she said in fake anger, "shut up, I am _so_ not a drama queen," in a way that made her seem like she was, causing them all to laugh except Hotaru, who let out a small smile that no one saw.

"Well, Hotaru-chan, you are coming with us," Nonoko said, giving her a smile.

"Oh, fine," Hotaru threw her hands up in defeat and walked forward, surprising them all. She stopped. "Are you guys coming or not?" she asked them, smiling a bit again. Seeing her smile, the girls were more energetic than ever at the thought that everything would go better than they had planned. Mikan bounced over to Hotaru and linked arms with her. "Oh, Hotaru-chan, you won't regret this, we promise!" she said happily. Hotaru let out another small smile.

"Perhaps I won't."

(*)

They walked to Mikan's room this time while the guys went over everything, still in Anna's room.

"Ok, just sit somewhere, Hotaru, you'll be last, since you probably want to be anyway," Mikan said. There was a hidden motive in that though. They wanted her to be last so she could have the most work put on her.

**4 and a half hours later…**

Finally, and surprisingly, all of them were done. Their hairstyles were just a bit…upgraded, you could say. How? Well, Anna's hair had small, pink sparkly clips in her hair, but some tendrils still framed her face. The tied part of Sumire's hair became a bun. Nonoko turned her pin-straight hair wavy. Mikan curled her hair a bit. Hotaru's hair was pretty much the same. It was still in a single braid, tied with a lavender ribbon, with tendrils framing her face. But how did Haina, Mikio and Nanami look like?

Mikio was in dress with different colors. Soft hues of green, blue and purple to be exact. It was a flowy dress with fluttery short sleeves that somehow showed her curves. Sparkly butterflies were sewn and blended with the color of her dress. The neckline was a cross between a scoop neck and a v-neck and the dress was knee-length. She had a locket around her neck with a very thing silver chain and a small silver heart. A thin bracelet of the same color was on her left wrist. She had on blue-green flats with a lilac-colored bow and short heels. Her hair was in a bun that wasn't too high, but too low either. Very few strands of hair framed her face.

Haina was in a tie-dyed yellowish-orange dress with spaghetti straps. It flowed at the waist and stopped at her knees. It had a square neckline and a barely noticeable pinkish-orange belt around her waist. It had butterflies too, but they were smaller than the ones on Mikio's dress. She had a golden charm bracelet around her right wrist with three small charms: a yellow sun, a orange flower, and a pink heart. She had on yellow sandals that were almost orange, and her hair was down and in corkscrews.

Nanami was in a flowing sky blue with one strap. It ended a little below her knees and apparently had no particular neckline. With only one strap the neckline looked like a different, unique type of square. There was a thin royal blue sash around her waist. She had on golden chandelier earrings with sapphires in them and a golden bangle on each wrist. Her shoes were light blue wedges. Her hair was down; layered and curly at the same time.

The girls were squealing and complimenting each other. Including Haina, and Nanami, which wasn't _too_ much out of the ordinary, for Nanami anyway. For Haina, maybe a little bit. Hotaru smiled a bit more, and did compliment the other girls, as Nanami, Haina and Hotaru quickly became friends. "Yay! Oh my gosh, I can't wait! Oh, oh, I know, we should make a grand entrance!" Mikan squealed suddenly.

"Really?" Haina asked, smiling at Mikan in amusement.

"Yeah! It would be so cool!" Mikio said together with Mikan all of a sudden.

"You know, I sometimes wonder now if you two are twins," Hotaru and Haina said in unison.

"Yeah, you too!" Mikan and Mikio chorused.

"That was weird!" Anna, Nonoko and Sumire said in unison.

"What the-?!?!" All seven girls said. Then they burst out laughing.

"Coincidence maybe?" Nonoko asked smiling.

"Possibly!" Nanami agreed energetically. Anna checked her watch.

"Hey guys, only 40 minutes left!"

"Hmm…We should kill time then!" Haina suggested. "After all, Mi-chan suggested to 'make a grand entrance'." Haina air-quoted 'make a grand entrance.' "If the dance is in 40 minutes, then we'd go after 45-50 minutes!"

"Yeah! I agree, but kill time with what?" Sumire said thoughtfully.

"Hmm…" They all said, thinking about ways to kill time.

"I got it!" Mikan said.

"What?" They all asked her.

"Well, I'm not sure, but truth or dare always passes time."

"True…So you guys up for it?" Sumire asked.

"Sure," Nanami shrugged.

"Ok," the rest agreed.

"So who goes first?" Mikan asked.

"You suggested it, you go first," Anna told her.

"Yeah," Nonoko agreed.

"Wait…Here's the bottle." Nanami took a bottle out from beside her. "I just found it now." Everyone sweatdropped. Nanami placed it in the middle of where they were, and Mikan spinned it. It landed on…

Herself?

"What the heck? I spin it again, don't I? Or do I ask myself truth or dare? Because if I do, wouldn't it be sort of weird that-OW!" Hotaru had chucked a notebook at her side, so it wouldn't mess up anything. "That hurts, Hotaru!"

"You were rambling," Hotaru told her. "Just spin it."

"Okay, okay!" Mikan spinned it again, and it landed on Sumire. "Ok! Sumi-chan, truth or dare?"

"I'm not a coward…dare."

"Hmm…I dare you to…Kiss Koko!"

"WHAT?!"

"You have to do it later on…" Mikan said with a sing-song voice. Sumire frowned a bit.

"Oh, fine." Sumire spinned it, and this time it stopped on Nonoko. "So, which will it be Noko? Truth or dare?"

"Hmm…I say…dare!" Sumire had a sly grin on her face.

"I dare you to confess your feelings for Yuu at the Dance."

"Wha-?! Aw, man! Fine…I'll do it later…" Nonoko pouted, then turned the bottle, which pointed to Haina. "'k. So, Hai-chan, truth or dare?"

"Definitely dare."

"Hmm…You're a toughie…" Nonoko tapped her chin thoughtfully as she looked up. "Wait! Nami-chan, Miki-chan, come here!" The two named girls went to Nonoko. "Ok, so, pssst…pssst…psst…"

"Psst…psst…pssst."

"Psst…psst…psst…"

"Ok…uh-huh….ok…good." Nanami and Mikio went back to their original spots. "I got it! Haina-chan, I dare you to flirt with your worst enemy, Aki Hayaku!"

"**WHAAATTT?!** That _jerk?!?!_ Oh my god, you made my almost worst nightmare come true!" Haina wailed hysterically. Nonoko, Mikio , Hotaru and Nanami sweatdropped while the other girls scratched the back of their heads. "Sorry Haina-chan. It's the dare."

"I know; I never back out on a dare. But _Aki Hayaku?_ Oh my god…I'll fricking die." Everyone but Haina sweatdropped. Then Haina sighed. "But then again, I never back out on a dare. I'll do it…But make sure one of you will be near me, because I'll need to go to the hospital. Ugh, worst fricking dare ever." They sweatdropped again.

"Wow…and I thought Sumire was dramatic…" Mikan piped up lowly, still sweatdropping.

"I heard that." This only made Mikan sweatdrop more. Haina leaned towards the bottle and spinned it; the bottle landing on Nanami. "Okay, Nami, pick."

"Seeing your state, I'm not about to pick dare. No damned way am I going to do anything involved with my worst enemy…unless it means his or her pain." Nanami smirked at the thought of her two worst enemies getting tortured with her laughing manically. Everyone sweatdropped but her. "So I obviously pick truth."

"Okay…" Haina rapped her fingers on her knee as if it would help her think of the right 'truth' question to ask Nanami. "Um…Is it true that you actually like your guy supposed 'worst enemy', aka Tadashi Moriwaki?"

"What type of fucking question is that?!" Nanami deadpanned, no emotion on her face, but her voice clearly stating she wanted to murder Haina.

"A question…Now answer it, or I'll change your future to make you end up lesbian and show it to you now kissing a girl."

"Ew…Fine, _maybe_, I do."

"Now, what kind of answer is that?"

"Well, I'm unsure you know!"

"So you just admitted that you're on your way." Haina smirked.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Oh, nothing…" Haina said in a sing-song voice.

"It so isn't…" Nanami grumbled. But she took the bottle and rotated it; the bottle landing on Mikio. "Miki, truth, dare."

"I choose…hmm…I don't know…both ways will probably have consequences…so I'll go with…erm…truth?"

"Okay then…Hmm…Is it true that you used to…be a Natsume/Ruka fan girl?"

"DEFINITELY NOT! That would ruin my reputation now, and I would be fricking_ horrified _to remember I was a fan girl if I was. Then I would think about how my 'old self' would be so happy I was friends with Ruka and I think Natsume…or good terms if not friends with him. Seriously, that question is just _wrong."_

"Erm…Nice outburst?" They all ended up laughing again. "Go spin it, Miki." So Mikio did. And it landed on Anna.

"I'd choose dare, but I'm not in the mood to do something like kill Koko with the help of Kitsuneme, so truth."

"How about…Is it true you like Kitsuneme?" Mikio said innocently.

"What, I can't get out either way? Come on…Either way I want to kill a mind reader! Yes, I do. And you already know that, so don't give me that look," Anna said, pretending to be mad and exasperated while pouting.

"Whoo! We knew it!" Sumire exclaimed to tease Anna.

"Hey! You're the one who said to 'clear it up' and told the others. How'd you know?!"

"Come on, Anna. All of us here aren't friends or best friends for nothing." Sumire smiled at Anna. Anna pouted again.

"Fine…" Still pouting Anna turned the bottle.

It was Mikan.

"Mi-chan, truth or dare?"

"Um…Dare!"

"I dare you to….Wow, you're a definite toughie, since you're already with Natsume-kun…Um…I dare you to…Um…help anyone?"

"I can't think of any…" Nonoko said. "She is a toughie."

"Um…How about…I don't know…trick Natsume-kun in some way?" Sumire suggested. They grinned, realizing after Sumire's suggestion that it would all end in a kiss. "Yeah! Trick him in some way, any way. Just trick him, and trick him good. Make sure he falls for it, Mi-chan!" Anna told her cheerily.

"That will be hard to think about…but okay!" Mikan agreed. Then she spinned the bottle, forgetting that Hotaru was the only one left. But it did land on Hotaru. "Hota-chan! Truth or dare?"

"…Dare."

"I dare you to…" Mikan smiled mischievously. "Let Ruka-kun talk to you for today, and talk to him back!"

"What?" Hotaru sighed. "Fine, I don't back out on dares either."

Mikio checked her watch. "Let's go, it's time for our grand entrance!"

(*)

The girls walked to the doors of the ballroom. Mikan walked forward. "Ready guys?" The girls either nodded at her, gave her a thumbs up, or an enthusiastic 'yep!' Mikan slowly pushed the door forward. Immediately, everyone looked at them. The guys had hearts in their eyes, drooled, or had their mouths reach the floor. The girls had jealous looks, smiles, compliments, or gossiped between themselves. Aki Hayaku came towards Haina and checked her out. "Hey, Ji-maru," he said, giving her a dazzling smile. Haina scowled and looked at Nanami and Mikio for betraying her, them trying not to laugh. She smiled sweetly at them, too sweetly, and flicked Nanami's head while she hit Mikio's head. "You'll get more than that after this is over," she hissed at them. But they still had the urge to laugh. Haina turned to Aki and smiled the same smile she gave to Mikio and Nanami. "It's Jikumaru, not Ji-maru," she told him, now gritting her teeth through her sugar-sweet smile. Aki didn't see it though. "Babe, it's my nickname for you now." Aki held Haina's chin, then pulled her arm somewhere. _What kind of nickname was that? _Haina thought bitterly. With one last dirty look at Mikio and Nanami, since it wasn't really Nonoko's fault, she followed Aki. Nanami and Mikio couldn't control it anymore and started laughing. "Hahahaha." Nanami held onto Nonoko's shoulder for fear of falling as the guys moved closer to the seven of them. "Oh my god, did you _see _her face?! That was too funny to pass up!"

"I know! Hahaha, Haina will kill us for sure…Hahaha," Mikio held onto Anna's shoulder as she coughed from laughing _while _laughing.

"Whatever! Hahaha, while we're alive let's laugh our guts out. Hahaha."

"I agree with you-hahaha-there, Nami. Hahaha. Oh my god, we should have –hahaha- gotten a picture. Hahaha!"

"When she –haha- comes back –hahahaha- we will."

"You have –haha- a camera? Hahaha."

"From –hahaha- Hotaru, yeah." Nanami and Mikio took _very_ deep breaths to _try_ and stop laughing, but all that happened was them laughing again and coughing. Anna and Nonoko clapped their backs to stop the coughing. Finally they stood up properly. "Thanks, Anna, Nonoko," they said at the same time. The two looked at each other and could tell that inside, they were still laughing at what happened to their other best friend.

"Hi, Sumi, Anna, Miki, Nami, Noko, Mimi, Ruru," Koko greeted.

"Hi Koko…" Sumire said quietly and a little shyly, knowing what she had to do. The girls understood, but couldn't help giving her surprised glances. Sumire could be quiet, whispering and everything, but shy? Um…Not so much.

"Hi Koko!" Anna greeted him, smiling.

"Hey Koko!" Nonoko said at the same time as Anna, smiling also.

"What's up?" Nanami said with a nod and a peace sign.

"Hey!" Mikio said, smiling at him.

"Hi Koko!" Mikan gave him a wide smile.

"Hey, Koko…" Hotaru greeted with a nod, forehead creasing.

"THEY WHAT?!" Koko suddenly yelled after reading Hotaru's mind. It was the only explanation anyway. "Are you sure you could handle it?! Holy shit, Hotaru!" People looked their way, including the eleven other people they were with. Yes, because Ruka was there too. "You're overreacting, Koko," Hotaru told him calmly. But inside she was panicking, her heart thumping fast.

"Overreacting?! You're kidding me! I can read your mind, Hotaru, and by the looks of it, it _isn't_ overreacting to you!"

"Then why did you in the first place?"

"You know you're one of my friends, and I respect you. It was by accident, and one line in your head told me everything!"

"And what was it?"

"You don't mind me telling the whole damn world the truth right now?! For god's sake, Hotaru, only me, Mikio, Sumire and Natsume know the truth. And if they knew what I had read, they would have agreed with me!"

"Don't you realize Sumire was in this too?!"

"Are you _blaming_ her?! She can't do anything there, with those other people knowing, but not everything!"

"So what the fuck do you suggest, Koko?! I'm not blaming her!"

"I know it isn't easy for you! I may know everything about it, and I may know how you feel, and maybe I can understand it! But just because I haven't actually experienced it, doesn't mean I can't tell you're hurting because of him!"

"Just shut the fuck up, Koko! You said it yourself, I don't want you announcing it to the world!"

"Fine, but if you get hurt because of him, and I try to help you, along with _them_ and you push us away-"

"Koko!" Sumire interrupted. "She's hurt enough without you confusing her!" Koko shook his head and looked down.

"Yeah…you're right….Look, Hotaru, I'm sorry. It got out of hand…It's just…I'm…" Koko took a deep breath. "I'm just sorry…Forgive me?"

Hotaru smiled, making Ruka gaze at her dreamily. "How could I not? You _are_ one of the people helping me through _that thing…_Thanks Koko." Briefly Hotaru hugged him. "Thanks a lot." Koko smiled at her.

"No prob."

The other people in the gang smiled, though some were confused, while onlookers were _definitely _confused.

Sumire wasn't jealous; she knew why Hotaru hugged Koko, and even if she didn't she wouldn't be, because she wasn't that kind of person, and she knew Hotaru loved Koko. Instead she smiled, happy she brought Koko to his senses. Ruka on the other hand hardly knew anything about it, and felt himself getting a bit jealous without meaning it. Koko smiled a bit at this thought. It would make things easier. Things were going good for them each hour.

"And Sumire?" Koko turned to the said girl, as she met his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks…for keeping me back on track," he smiled boyishly at her. "For everything."

"No problem." Then she walked to him, and when she was in front of him, as Hotaru moved to the side, guessing what would happen and smiling to herself, looked down. "And…Koko?" She looked up only to be lost in his brown eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked, likewise lost in her emerald green ones.

"I love you," she whispered. "Thank you." Then she tip-toed a bit, and kissed him fully, passionately on the lips, making him back a bit. But then he kissed her back with as much passion as she had given him, both of them relaxing into the kiss as he slowly wrapped his hands around her waist and she encircled her arms around his neck, pushing each other back with the intensity of their kiss. There were whistles and shouts; cheers of, "go Koko!"

"Yeah dude!"

"Yeah, Sumire!"

"Finally, finally!"

And so on. Everyone was happy for them.

Koko broke the kiss to touch his forehead with hers, and said, "Sumire…I love you too." And he continued the kiss.

(*)

"Whoo!" Kitsuneme said, high-fiving Koko as Koko had his arm around Sumire's waist.

"Nice man!" Yuu said, pushing up his glasses as he high-fived Koko also.

Natsume gave Koko a smile and a nod. "Nice job, Koko."

"Wow man, didn't know you had the guts!" Ruka 'guy-hugged' Koko.

"You'll confess," Koko said quietly to Ruka, smirking. Ruka blushed head to toe.

"Okay, okay, stop pressuring me man!"

"Sorry dude…too excited to know the outcome. Haha," Koko laughed. Ruka punched Koko on the shoulder.

"Just wait, dude."

"Yeah…It'll happen….eventually."

"Hey! Dude, this guy's insulting me!" They all laughed (including the girls) good-heartedly. (Hotaru and Natsume just smiled and chuckled though. No one had heard the first few things, though most of them could guess what it was about and be right.)

"Yeah, yeah. Say that after you get _her."_ Koko smirked when Ruka blushed again.

"Koko, I swear, if you-" Ruka was getting on to threatening Koko while not really threatening him. In a way a joke, you could say.

"Don't get so uptight! You'll become another Kitsuneme!"

"Shut up."

"Speaking of confessions…" Kitsuneme said. He went to Anna as Anna was walking to him, and coincidentally, they both said, at the exact same time, "Kit/Anna, I love you." They backed up a bit, looking shocked at each other. "You do?" They asked each other incredulously. They calmed, walked to each other, and after taking a breath, Kitsuneme said, "yes, I do, you're the only one for me."

"Likewise, you're the only one I'll ever love," Anna told him.

Then Kitsuneme said, "so… I might as well do this." He pulled Anna closer to him, and kissed her. Anna was definitely surprised. Hey, just because they confessed doesn't mean it would be something obvious that Kitsuneme would kiss her. But she got over her shock and closed her eyes like the one she loved, relaxing into the kiss. There were cheers again.

"Whoo hoo! I love this year's dance!"

"It's so sweet!"

"I loved the twin part."

"Finally! Another main couple we've been waiting for!"

"When are the other ones gonna happen?"

So on again.

Someone poked Mikan. "Um…Hi. Can I-" When she turned around she realized who was there. "Misaki and Tsubasa-senpai!" She pounced on Tsubasa and hugged him as she extended her arm to Misaki to hug her two favourite senpais. "Hi squirt," Tsubasa said, chuckling then ruffling her head a bit, so her hair wouldn't get messed up and Misaki wouldn't hit him. Natsume went in front of the three. "Oi, how long are you going to keep hugging her, Tsubasa?" Chuckling again, Tsubasa lowered Mikan. "Even though we're on pretty good terms now, Natsume, you're still the same as always."

"Well, duh. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be as handsome as this, now would I?" He snaked his arm around Mikan's waist, and he smirked as Tsubasa laughed. Misaki shook her head. "Boys…I'll never understand them." She began to walk away to the other girls. "Misaki! Have you forgotten what we were supposed to do?" Misaki walked back and sweatdropped. Then she smirked.

"At least for once you remembered something."

"Hey!" Misaki smirked at him again.

"Mikan-nee," a voice said. Mikan felt something or some_one_ poking her waist.

"Owwie!" She turned around, and found out Youchi was poking her.

"Youchi! Aoi!" She hugged them for a bit then let them go.

(Misaki was wearing a sleeve-less midnight blue dress a bit lower than knee-length that had two slits on the side. The neckline was a sort of scoop neck with some extra fabric over it, somehow making it look as if she had a scarf around her neck of the same blue color. Somehow the dress caught the light. She had a silver necklace that matched her silver chandelier earrings and she had on silver-gray strapped high heels. Her hair was piled up on her head messily in a bun with strands f hair framing her face, but it still looked good and not sloppy.

Aoi was in a knee-length spaghetti crimson red dress that had a rose-red sash around her waist tied to the side. It also caught the light. She had small gold hoops in her ears with rubies on the end that peeked out from her hair, which was let down and wavy; curled at the ends. She also had a thin gold and silver spiralled bangle with a single ruby and emerald in it. She had red sandals on her feet that matched her dress with a one inch heel and was tied up to her ankle.)

"Hi Mikan-nee, Natsu-nii!" Aoi was all smiles. Mikan linked her arm with Natsume and then noticed something. Youchi's hand was around Aoi's waist.

"Making sure no one steals Aoi-chan from you aren't you, Youchi?" Mikan teased. Natsume smirked as Youchi blushed slightly while Aoi was the same color as her dress. Mikan smiled. Youchi was definitely a mini-Natsume, and she didn't realize it yet, as she of course, was dense, but Aoi was somehow a mini-Mikan.

"She's an idiot. Why would I care?" Mikan just smirked/smiled.

"Nee-chan!" Aoi blushed more than she already had. Natsume smirked at the two fourteen year olds' reactions.

"Haha, it's okay Aoi-chan. I'll not tease you two anymore."

"Past that…What do we do?" Youchi asked.

"Yeah," Tsubasa, Misaki and Aoi agreed.

"Natsu-kun…" Mikan said, making her fingers crawl up Natsume's arm. Tsubasa stifled a laugh. They knew what Mikan was doing. "Oh, god, what now polka?"

"Hey!" Mikan pouted. "My name is Mikan! We're dating already, can't you call me by my name?" she asked, moving her face closer to Natsume's. Natsume wanted to kiss her there and then, but didn't show it.

"Nah, I like polka-dots and strawberries better…But today it's oranges isn't it? Nice, it matches what you're wearing." Mikan face turned red with embarrassment and anger. "You fricking pervert!" Then she calmed down, saying, "well, I'll leave you to explain the gang's plan." With that she left before Natsume could grab her arm and Youchi and Tsubasa, along with the two girls beside them sweatdropped. "I'm gonna get you for this, polka…"

"By what? Kissing her senselessly?" Tsubasa said chuckling. Natsume, being a bit embarrassed and slightly pissed, did the most '_logical' _thing. Misaki sighed and bumped her head on a nearby wall. She knew what was going to happen. "AHHH!!! Someone put it out! Someone put it out! Fiiiirrrreeee!" Yep, you guessed it. Natsume sent Tsubasa on fire. But to be more specific, Natsume sent Tsubasa's hair on fire. Tsubasa was running like a maniac from where Misaki was to where Youchi and Aoi were. Youchi and Aoi sweatdropped. Then someone aimed his water alice on him and the fire extinguished. "Natsume, I thought we were on good terms!" Tsubasa cried waterfall tears.

"It doesn't mean I can't set your hair on fire when you suggest something as stupid as that," Natsume said with a stoic face. In truth though, he might do that later on to Mikan…

Misaki stopped banging her head.

Koko laughed when he read Natsume's thoughts the whole time. Natsume whipped his head around to look at the mind reader. _Koko, just because we're friends doesn't mean I can't set your hair on fire,_ Natsume thought. "Dude…you're too uptight," Koko told him by the edge of his mouth, anime style. Natsume sweatdropped. _What's the point of reading my mind then if you say something like that?_ he thought, half to Koko and half to himself. Koko shrugged. "I dunno." Natsume sighed a bit and rolled his eyes. "Idiot," he said under his breath, not caring whether he heard him or not. He just felt like saying it in that tone.

"Geez…" Koko turned around to talk to Sumire and the others again. Natsume rolled his eyes again and explained the plan to the other four.

**After explaining their plan…**

"Oh," Aoi, Youchi, Tsubasa and Misaki said in unison. Natsume sweatdropped.

"Cool, so, are we –they- doing it now?" Aoi asked her older brother.

"Yeah, but the better parts aren't there yet." With that Natsume looked over to the others.

"My, my, is it me, or does the black cat actually sound excited for something?" Tsubasa teased. _Wow, Tsubasa is really trying his luck, _Misaki thought. She wanted to bang her head on the wall again. Without looking at the shadow manipulator, Natsume burned his hair again. "AH! NATSUME STOP THE FIRE!" Mikan came over.

"You just can't stop, can you, Natsume?" she scolded him light-heartedly. She nullified Natsume's alice, making the fire on Tsubasa's hair fade. "Thanks, Mikan-chan."

"Haha, no problem Tsubasa-senpai. You guys know the plan now, right?"

"Yep!" Misaki said.

"Good news then!" Mikan walked away and the other five followed.

**A bit farther, with most of the guys in the gang (Mochu is part of it, but in this case it seems like he isn't)…**

"Ruka, just go and talk to her," Koko urged. He had read Sumire's mind (after she told him) and figured out what they dared Hotaru, not that she let him know the others' dares and confessions, including hers.

"Really?" Ruka said desperately.

"Yes! Come on, just try! Besides, you're supposed to confess today!"

"Oh, fine…" Ruka walked over.

**With the others, HotaruPOV…**

"Hi…Hotaru," a familiar voice said. I turned around. It was…

_**READ THIS ALL!(There are some unimportant parts, but just in case…:D)**_

**IF I DON'T GET **_**SIX **_**REVIEWS I WON'T POST THE NEXT CHAPTER! Gomen, but I seriously want that # of reviews after making a **_**very **_**long chapter that I only got ****4**** days to write. I know, I know, it was 14 days since I updated. But my mom hogged it, and the internet kept getting disconnected. T.T But now I know how to connect the/a laptop, 'cause I knew how to connect a computer a long time ago. Hey, I'm not asking for 10, though that would be nice. So please, 6 reviews, ok? ******

**Hehe, my second favourite parts was writing was about Aki and Haina and Koko and Sumire. It was hilarious for me at the Aki and Haina part, while making me wanna squeal at the KoMire part. O.O Hahaha.**

**O.o More dresses to draw. O.o**

**And no offense to lesbians in the truth or dare thingy.**

**O.O Four letter nicknames. :D Except for Anna. Her name is already four letters. :D**

**Wow….Hotaru hugging a guy that's**_** not**_** Ruka…wow…**

**Aw…I was going to end it at the KoMire part. Hey, tell me if you like it, ok?**

**O.O I just had an idea for a KoMIre fic! Ironic…**

**Oh, and I just put a poll for which dress do you like the most from how it sounds so far…I haven't drawn them all. –sweatdrop- But for me I'd say Hotaru then Aoi then Nanami…so on. :D**

**I just realized how much torture it is when you wanna end a chapter but you want to make it longer. Wow…But I finally ended it! I would have put everything happening in the Last Dance (but it would still have another chapter or more…) but I decided against it. The next chapter will be long too, but maybe a bit shorter than this one. Wow…10 430 words…**

_**Here's to answer some of your questions:**_

**When Koko stopped arguing (sort of…) with Hotaru because Sumire interrupted them, it was because he realized what he was doing and came back to his senses, not because he loved her…It was a wake up call. Hehehe.**

**When Koko greeted the girls by their nicknames, that's their places from right to left, but since Koko was opposite them, it would be left to right to him. :D**

**Mimi is another nickname for Mikan, and Ruru is another nickname for Hotaru. Mikan has two nicknames (Mi-chan, Mimi) and Hotaru has three (Hota-chan, Ru-chan, Ruru).**

**When they say Ru-chan, it refers to Hotaru, but if they say Ruru-chan, it's Ruka.**

**No, they did not plan the truth or dare thing. Mikan just thought of it. O.O**

**Aki Hayaku is already on my prof, but I have to change which story he's in so far. –sheepish smile- Tadashi Moriwaki is a character I made up on the spot; I just put on his info.**

**Yes, Aoi is dating Youchi. I just decided it then…Hehe.**

**The people (Mikio, Haina, Nanami, Mikan, Anna, Nonoko, Sumire, Natsume, Kitsuneme, Yuu and Koko) before who were involved in 'the plan' wanted Natsume and some other guy that they picked to go where Hotaru was but get there before her so she wouldn't be suspicious. That guy just happened to be Kitsuneme. To explain it more, you might ask, "So how come Aoi, Youchi and Mikan could talk through the phone but they can't?" The answer to that: Actually, it was a telephone inside their rooms, and AA or someone from AA didn't design it yet so it would be like a cell phone so that they could bring it around. So none of those telephones are cordless or anything, so on, so forth. Then you might ask, "So what was that bit the Aoi said? 'Youchi, get over here, this phone isn't cordless!'" Well, some of you may have found out, but that was merely Aoi being a bit sarcastic and a bit impatient-more on the sarcastic-ness though.**

**No, sarcastic-ness/sarcasticness isn't a word no matter which way you put it. O.O**

**After Mikan and the others told Ruka that they were going to help him, they went to Anna's room, but Ruka strolled around outside and Hotaru went back to her room without anyone noticing.**

**Nanami asked them about the occasion and everything just in case. She did know about the Last Dance.**

**No, Ruka didn't know how they would help him. All he knew was that they were going to.**

**And when I put this: '(*)' it means that I could have ended the chapter there, but I didn't because I wanted this chapter to be long…even though I wanted cliff hangers. It doesn't mean anything else but that.**

**And that's the term I was looking for. Sumire's dress had fluttery sleeves…I think that's how you say it. But it was short sleeved.**

**And yes, I know, truth or dare isn't really an original game for GA fanfics, but you don't expect them to play goldfish or something, right? :D**


	9. 000: WHY ME?

**WAHHH! DARN IT!**

**Wah, I'm so sorrrrrrrrrrrrrry!**

**Tch…My dad told my mom not to let me use the laptop anymore (I think for the rest of summer) so I won't be able to update…*sad face* My mom told me that he said I used the computer too much so I didn't pay attention to anything. Chhyyeah right. **_**NOT.**_** Now, I may sound OOC to myself since usually I'm all un-anti-social and stuff, (un-anti-social isn't a word :D) but if you've ever read my profile, I'll think you'll find something saying I'm aggressive…When it said I'm proud of being that, it depends on the situations but that includes usually being irritated easily. DAMNIT! (Sorry for use of bad language…Influences.) So please review chapter 8 which is really chapter 7, and since my parents apparently forgot about my CELL PHONE, I'll check the reviews there. I'd be really happy if you could review…And then there's the suffering of the FRICKING FRENCH SCHOOL. Ugh, it's like the 19****th**** of August here, almost September. AND I FRICKING HATE IT. *mumbles incoherent words that involves cursing French schools and my non-attentive parents* DAMN.**

**I already started the next chapter though…But still, DAMN.**


	10. ED, TDJATI P2: Who The Heck is He? !

**OMFG! THANK YOU! MERCI! SALMAT! ARIGATOU! GRACIAS! Err…I dunno how to say it in Chinese O.o I **_**actually**_** got six reviews like I asked! (Well, technically stripedichigo's first one was on the first chapter but literally it was on chapter 8 which is really chapter 7. :D I know 'cause she mentioned Mikio and Haina…I'm ranting on and on, aren't I. Duuudee…) I never thought that would actually happen! O.o It was SORT of nine reviews, but it was on the A/N on chapter 9, which isn't really a chapter 'cause like I said it was an A/N. I would have deleted it, but for the sake of your uplifting reviews…NAH. I'm keeping that A/N thingy. LOL.**

**REVIEW REPLIES:**

**JustinneXD****: Yay! New reviewer! O.O Ironic, we're the same age and from the same place. O.o Except I'm in Canada. xD. Thank you for reviewing this story! I'm so happy! To your other review:** **Salamat po! (O.o You do understand tagalog right? I hope so. O.o) I try to update when I can! Thanks for telling me you like it! Your review along with others made me really happy! :D**

**animeotakupooh: Thank you!**

_**Joanie:**_** O.o Someone might think you died…Maybe. I know I almost did…I think. O.o :D –starts dancing in happiness that you liked everything (I don't know how to dance though. LOL)-**

_**Lucky-chan:**_** O.o xD O.O *looks down with hands behind my back, swaying back and forth under your scrutinizing gaze because somehow I'm scared…(xD)* I didn't doubt you! I…um…was unsure? Hehehehe…*nervous laugh* O.O Good advice. Hehe. I won't get writer's block…(I already got the plot just in case…O.O) But I forgot what an OVA is. *scratches head* Erm, for the chapters thingy, it could be just chapters, extras, or OVA's…O.o Conflict and obstacles…depends…hmm…*thinking position* Confusion…O.o That'swhy I'm asking the readers. O.o LOL (?) A/N one…Haha, I sorta figured that out…in some ways. O.o I'm like that too, important stuff might be in there…or stuff that entertains you. Haha LOL xD Whatever…O.O Couple dedication…Yeah, I had that idea…I mix up things on my profile so people have to read the whole thing to figure out my age ad stuff, and that's the same with my stories. xD I gave a clue of what **_**might**_** be next xD O.O Sarcastic-ness O.O LOL xD. O.O Nice wake up call…Or is it a wake up call? *scratches head* LOL xD.**

**.|neleenchan:3|. (): Hehe, I like it that way, O.o, it makes it funnyyyyy… O.o Three people commented on the cliffy...Somehow I can never tell it's a cliffy or not…To me they're all cliffies when I read fanfics. O.o LOL xD. Yeah me too! O.o But then again I made the plot and stuff, so yeah. xD Kya~! I always liked Aoi and Youchi together. It's even on my favourite couples in my mixed up layout-ed profile. O.o LOL xD. Haha, I'll look for/make them faster. –smile smile- Yeah, I'm going to make a one-shot about them while still working on this story, but if I decide to make a joint fic instead, then it will be after my next planned out fic…possibly.**

**.xXx****: *hides* I hope this update is fast for you! Thank you for reviewing again! *does happy dance (O.o But I don't even know **_**how **_**to dance)* -smile smile-**

**stripedichigo:**** Wah~! Thanks for doing everything possible~! Yay, two new reviewers! Hehe, I know the feeling. Usually I read fics on my cell but it won't let me review, so I write it down to record it and then when the author sees my review sometimes it mentions things like, 'darned phone, won't let me review…O.o' ,'hehe…I read this before but I forgot to review it' or 'about _ or_ of these hits are mine because I tried to review but my cell won't let me'…Somewhere along those lines. *sweatdrop* O.o *gives thumbs up* Somehow I crack myself up also when I write those funny bits. LOLOL. That's what these people get when you come by a RukaRu obsessed fan, like we agreed my pen name tells the world my favourite couple. LOL. O.o NxH? *GASP!* They're like brother and sister here in acts. I'm not about to make this NaRu or whatever you call it here. (I don't think they have a merged name…I just make up merged names, like KoMire, YuuKo, and others. No one actually made those yet. xD o.O) Maybe in another story to make Ruka jealous. *slaps forehead* Now I got another idea…I have too much HxR ideas. O.o You can even give me a song and next thing you know I'll get an idea…I know 'cause that actually happened. LOL. I like it when Hotaru and Natsume don't want to kill each other and are instead friends or something along those lines. Yeah, I like Mikan's attitude here too. LOL, the yelling part last chapter cracked me up. Maybe I should have made Sumire slap Mikan anime style…Nah, don't wanna fall off my bed. xD. Hehe, yeah I think I developed their attitude here pretty well. But Nanami needs a bit of work…O.o Really? Cool. *does happy dance (but I don't know how to dance xD.)* For a reply to your other review, O.o yeah, I don't want September to come 'cause that's when I'm going to start. T.T Yeah! Ranting your anger out by writing is VERY effective! LOLOL.**

**A/N: Blonde is used for girls and I think guys, but blond can be used for guys…So yeah.**

"Ha-Haru?" Hotaru stammered, bewildered. Ruka felt himself getting jealous again. Why wouldn't he? There, in front of Hotaru was a black-haired, brown-eyed boy, which most of the girls in the ballroom had turned to with hearts in their eyes. Haru gave Hotaru a half-smile. "Miss me?" he said, holding out his arms as if he was expecting a hug. By this time, pretty much everyone was watching the exchange between Hotaru and the mysterious guy named Haru.

"You idiot! How could you have done that?!" Hotaru hit the guy's chest.

"Ow…" Haru rubbed his chest. "Geez…Don't you miss me, Ru-chan?" he asked, with fake tears.

"What do you think, you stupid bumbling idiot?" Hotaru crossed her arms.

"Um…" Haru pretended to think. "Yes?"

"Duh!" Haru smiled again and gave her a one-armed hug.

"You thought I was gone, didn't you?"

"Yes! What else would I, would _we_ think when we saw you like that?! Haru, don't do that again!"

"I'm sorry!" Haru held up his hands. "But I'm here now, aren't I?" Hotaru nodded slowly.

"Yeah…You're right." Then she looked him in the eye. "But do that again, you really won't live."

Haru chuckled nervously. "Eh…eheh…" He scratched his head sheepishly.

"How did you get here?"

"I have an alice."

"Really?"

"Yes…I think you could guess." An image flashed in Hotaru's mind when he said that, and somehow she thought she immediately knew at that moment. "Illusion or-and doppelganger."

"Yes…Both. But I can only do an illusion involving my doppelganger/s."

"You ass, why'd you do that?"

"Erm…With people staring at us I don't think I should say…"

"Fine, later on, somewhere more private." They nodded at each other. Ruka got even more jealous. _Effects of this cursed love, _he dismissed the thought. Then Hotaru noticed almost the whole ballroom of people looking at them. "Scram." The people turned back to their own conversations. They didn't know that Hotaru had no heart to hit anyone with the baka gun. Hotaru held Haru's shoulder and walked closer to her group of friends.

To joke around, and make sure Ruka was extra jealous to 'speed things up a little', Koko said teasingly, though he knew the truth, "who's that, Hotaru-chan? Your boyfriend?" Hotaru and Haru looked at each other, gave each other weird looks, blushed at the absurdity of that particular situation, gave Koko weird looks also and glared at him a minute later for even suggesting something supposedly so impossible as they had thought. Hearing that possibility, Ruka wanted to storm out of the ballroom. He looked down and stared at the floor furiously, as if wanting it to disappear at the heat of his glare. He put his hands in his pockets and kicked the floor, though it wasn't really possible. The gang noticed this, and most of them knew what it meant. Natsume could feel his best friend's aura, and it was heavier, and more dangerous, in a way, than usual. "No, you stupid mind-reader, you probably know who he is." Ruka's aura became slightly lighter. Natsume smirked, but was a bit relieved. _Ruka must be really jealous, _he thought. Koko gulped mentally. He hoped Ruka wouldn't figure out that he _did_ know who Haru was and kill him tonight…Or at least be too envious to notice. Keep praying, Koko. You never know what might happen.

Mikio smirked a little at what Koko thought. Accidentally her alice had wandered into his mind. Pushing her thoughts closer to Koko by practically yelling them in her head, hoping he would hear, she thought, _fat chance, Koko…maybe._

Her thoughts were sent into Koko's territory. _I haven't seen Ruka this protective before, and I don't want to figure out,_ Koko thought back. "Er…" Koko voiced to the world.

"Typical." Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Use your mind, why don't you, Koko."

"Um, guys, I just got to step out for a sec," Aoi said.

"I'll come with you," Youchi told her. They walked off.

"Oh, I just have to get something," Nonoko said. She walked out also.

**With Aoi, Youchi and Nonoko…**

"Ok, here," Nonoko said, giving Youchi and Aoi a small green device. The two put them in their ears. "Use them to communicate with us, but just in case…" Nonoko gave them two simple matching bracelets with different colored buttons. They put them on also, but Youchi hid his under his sleeve. Nonoko nodded. "Good thinking Youchi. Now, if you aren't going to or don't want to communicate with all of us, there are those buttons there. Press those buttons to communicate with the person you want to communicate with. Yours, Youchi, is the dark gray button. Aoi, yours is the reddish-orange button. Mine is the dark blue one, Anna's is the pink one, Nanami's is sky blue, Mikio's is blue-green, Sumire's is emerald green, Mikan's is bright orange, Haina's is yellowish orange, Koko's is light gray, Natsume's is red, Yuu's is light brown, Kitsuneme's is white, Tsubasa's is black, and Misaki's is royal blue. Press the clear button if you want to talk to all of us or choose new people. Got it?" The other two nodded. "Good, now, give these to Tsubasa and Misaki." Nonoko passed them identical items. "You guys go first, you don't want to be suspicious, do you?" They shook their heads and went back to the ballroom.

**With the others…**

Youchi and Aoi went back, and after almost a minute Nonoko went in too. _I gave it to them,_ Nonoko thought, hoping Mikio or Koko would hear it. Koko looked at her from the corner of his eye and nodded discreetly. Nonoko nodded a little back, to show that she saw. Nonoko blinked and then looked to the others. They were, or most of them were, talking to Haru.

**With most of the boys…**

"Wait, wait, wait," Kitsuneme said fast, stopping Haru from answering his previous question. Haru blinked then looked at Kitsuneme. "So then who are you to Hotaru?"

"Well, certainly not her _boyfriend_, like Koko here suggested." Haru jabbed a thumb in Koko's direction, who was beside Kitsuneme and Yuu. "I'm her friend."

"Oh…her _friend_, huh?" Kitsuneme raised an eyebrow suggestively, but he was only joking...Well, at least he hoped Haru didn't like Hotaru, or worse, love.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing. I don't like her, or love her. I only like/love her as a friend. Besides, I know who likes her." Haru gave a smirk. "That blond guy…what was his name? Ruka, yeah, him."

"Dude, how'd 'ya know?" Kitsuneme looked a little taken aback, Koko smirked with Haru, and Yuu raised an eyebrow.

"Er…Tell you later…"

_With Nonoko…_

Nonoko quirked an eyebrow at that from where she was, then went back to paying attention to whatever the girls were saying. The Dance didn't really start yet…Dancing went a little later on. But then Nonoko remembered what she had to do. She blushed.

**With most of the boys…(again)**

"Hey Koko," Yuu whispered.

"Eh?"

"Go convince Ruka to talk to Hotaru."

"Eh? Hm, okay."

Koko walked to where Ruka was. He was with Natsume, Tsubasa, Misaki, Aoi and Youchi, talking. "Hey, Ruka!" he called. Ruka's head snapped in Koko's direction. "What?" Koko walked closer to the group and nudged Ruka.

"Come on, go talk to her. Don't think you can get out. Just even a simple 'hi' or something, I don't know. Just _talk_ to her, for god's sake, Ruka." Ruka sighed heavily. Truth be told he was torn between talking to her and just watching in the sidelines. "Fine, if it will make my lovesick mind-reading friend shut up." Koko smirked and then grinned mischievously.

"Just go already…The love of your life is waiting." Then Koko put on an imitation of what it supposed to be Hotaru playing Juliet, but instead looked like a gay retard. "Oh, Romeo, Romeo-" Ruka interrupted as he passed a hand over his face in embarrassment and exasperation. "Stop, you sick, gay, lovesick puppy."

"Yeah, sure, so I'm in love with Sumire," Koko started, but was interrupted when Ruka looked at him as if he was mental. "What? It's true. And don't interrupt me, I'm not finished." Ruka rolled his eyes. "Now, as I was saying, I'm in love with Sumire. But I'm not the lovesick puppy here. Dude…you're too depressed man. Talk to her…Now."

"Sheesh, now that's a first," Ruka shook his head, rolling his eyes as he did. "Koko demanding something of me." Ruka walked towards Hotaru anyway, though. The people who were with Ruka before followed him with their eyes. "You sure he's gonna confess today?" Misaki asked.

"I'm certain of it." Koko grinned.

**With Ruka, RukaPOV…**

I stopped half-way from my destination. I was definitely nervous. I backed out the first time, after that Haru guy came… God, what am I going to do? Mentally I sighed. I put myself in this…I have to face this. Just go, Ruka. I put on a determined face, clenching my hands, and walked forward. Hotaru was there…Talking to our friends. Gathering my courage, I took one more step, gulped, and tapped her shoulder lightly. Slowly she turned around. My breath caught in my throat. _I don't deserve her,_ I thought as I looked at her. _I never did._

"Uh…Imai?" I looked down at her, and unluckily looked in her eyes. I summoned the courage not to get lost in her amethyst-like orbs, but failed. I felt her breath get caught on too. This is torture…But the best form of torment there is. I thought she wouldn't reply, I really didn't…I thought we would just be there, and I would suffer the best form of torture, yet the worst. But there she was, my eyes worshipping her, betraying me, and she replied, so softly, but enough that I could still hear her, "yes?"

I admit it, inside I was jumping for joy. My thoughts screamed out, so loud that if my eyes hadn't been focused on her face, I would bet I would see both Mikio and Koko cover their ears, or mentally, and physically try not to. I was so happy…Her distancing herself from me, and that last encounter…My heart clenched. I had to wait…But here she was, talking to me…Finally, talking to me…And…I wasn't forcing her. My heart skipped with joy. I wasn't holding her back from going away. She would have been gone, after my nervous excuse for a start of conversation. But no…She was still here, and with that one word, I wondered. Was it over? Would she tell me now, why she was distancing herself from me? Or was this a chance?

"I…" I looked down and mentally shook my head. Why am I so nervous? I mean I naturally would be but…I don't think I ever was this nervous…What do I say?

_I think you should tell her the truth, Ruka…_

Telepathy…It was Koko's voice. But he had mind-reading, not telepathy.

_Butt into my life, why don't you, Koko, _I thought sarcastically.

_I just did, genius. _Mentally I rolled my eyes._ Don't give me that eye-roll, Ruka._

_Fine, Fine. Lay off, go talk with your girlfriend or something. Leave me alone._

_Ouch. You're really grouchy in your mind but then you're nervous. What the heck's up with that?_

_Leave me alone, or turn into a Koko frappe._

_Oh, COME ON!_

_Fine, I'll turn you into Koko frappe later._

_I'll leave you alone then! Man, you're a second Kitsuneme!_

_Shut up._

_Geez, dude… _He faded out.

I bit my lip. "Hotaru…Can I…" She was looking at me intently as I spoke, nervous, but willing courage to overcome me. But no, another word couldn't be spoken, I was interrupted by music.

**Sorry for the short chapter! Well, in my standards. It's only 3077 words. Don't look at me like that! I like writing, okay? It was supposed to be longer…I don't like this ending, really. And I'm not sure if this is a cliffy or not, 'cause frankly I dunno the difference in fics…Man, I'm weird. Koko frappe. Haha.**

**Koko: Urusai! RUKA WILL NOT EVER DAMAGE MY REPUTATION!**

**Me: **_**What**_** reputation?!**

**Koko: I will not, and I repeat, will **_**not-**_

**Me: Stop with the 'will not's. Ok, Koko you **_**are**_** one of my favourite GA characters, (I think number 3 or 4…) but seriously…It should be the other way around, with you demanding something of him. Besides, even if he's a softie-**

**Ruka: -Hey, I heard that!**

**Me: *dismisses the thought at the moment* -it's still most likely for him to damage your rep instead of the other way around. *thinks, then says*…I think. And Ruka, that's SO true.**

**Ruka and Koko: SO NOT!**

**Me: Teme! Urusai!**

**Ruka and Koko: *goes crazy at the moment* NEVERRRRRRRRRR!!!**

**Me: *sweatdrop* Yeah…Okay…Whatever…BTW, to BYB readers, read that author's note that has the outer appearance of a sixth chapter. Nope, it isn't a chapter, 'cause like I said, an author's note, I tell you! So, after you read it…Er…Yeah.**

**Ja, peeps!**


	11. ED, TDJATI P3: It's His Fault, Damnit

**O.o Damn…*puts wide eyes* This story is FAMOUS! LOLOL. After chapter 8 it went from 700-something hits to 900-something hits…O.o Now it's 1000-something hits….O.o I'm kidding about the famous part. xD. But the thing that really gets me is EFFORTLESS EIGHT REVIEWS for chapter 8! (Ironic. O.o) I'M SO HAPPY! *puts on emotional speech, sobs dramatically* I'd like to thank my readers, for showing me that lots of people are reading this story, even if some of them don't review, and my reviewers, who are so awesome I can't even put words to describe their awesome-ness (xD). I'd also like to thank the people who favorited and alerted, YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SO HAPPY! And lastly, * sobs dramatically even more (O.o)* I'd like to thank books, because without them, I'm not sure my imagination could be this high…No, wait…it would…same with my spelling. *sweatdrop* Okay, I thank thee for entertainment! *somehow looks like Narumi, goes back to normal state* O.o I sound like Shakespeare or something. O.o**

**Reviewers and GA cast: *stare…stare…stare***

***crickets and those things on those cowboy action type movies (xD)***

**Me: *backs away* PEOPLE! Stop staring! It freaks me out, you know that?! *sweatdrop* I'm imagining myself doing that in a way that would make a guy look gay. -.-' I'm weird…But you people already know that. xD.**

**NOW, PLEASE, PLEASE, **_**PLEASE**_** answer this: Should I add the AAO? The evil-doers and all that stuff? *freaky smile* I have an idea on what to do, but it all depends. :D**

**(I'm talking about that weird speech thingy for this -) Well, I **_**am**_** grateful, but the thank you's will be at the end. Kk? 'K, good, I'm glad we understand each other. :D**

**Thanks to ****S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y****, ****ShiRo-AneMone****, and ****VioletIsARockstar ****for beating last chapter of two new reviewers! *happy dance***

**Oh, and I felt like saying this so yeah…Sorry for the typo thingies. Don't blame me, blame that document download-a thing. :D**

**And I'll say this, just in case. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DANCE (xD) so if I write *happy dance*, I can't really be dancing, because I would if I knew how. *sweatdrop* LOLOL xD.**

**And somehow I interact with A LOT of people I review or reviews me and all that stuff, so don't be surprised if I always act like I'm talking to you in review replies and stuff. :D**

**And I **_**ALWAYS **_**do review replies. *smile smile***

**xXx .romance. xXx:**** It won't let me put your penname properly. *pops vein* You had a review reply last time but it showed something like 'xXx.' *pops vein* It was short though so yeah… NANI?!?! LIA!!! KYA~! I'm hiding…Scared out of my wits, I am. *shivers* I wonder who would be scarier…You or Hotaru. The reason for the would, though I'm sure that 'would' doesn't make **_**that**_** much sense, is because I'm unsure if you're serious. I mean, you could use like, a virtual one…?! Hey, that's an idea! O.o :D Thanks for reviewing!**

**animeotakupooh:**** So sad, ain't it? :D I wanna stall sorta…I think. Just to make it longer. :D But I don't want it like, 30 chapters. Too many ideas haunting me. LOL. But he'll get the courage…Or **_**will **_**he? *smile smile* You'll just have to find out! Thanks for reviewing! :D**

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y: ****Okay, I have a weird habit of replying to every single review, so yeah…Bear with my insanity! LOL. Well, anyway, I'm very happy that you like it that much! I get surprised when people say it's THAT good, because as a twelve year old who can't really rate something she wrote, well, that's just me. :D Anyway, thanks for reviewing! *happy dance* I'm so happy I got another reviewer! :D Hope you like it/stay with me till the end!**

**JustinneXD:**** O.O I know the feeling…But you already knew that. xD. LOLOL, I review your stories while you review mine, and then we like each other's stories. LOL, interaction! That's so ironic…BTW, friends? (P.S. Thanks for reviewing BYB. There's another notification there…'cause of my un-decisive-ness. LOLOL.)**

**stripedichigo:**** :D LOLOL. I have weird habits on this website so yeah. xD. Yeah, I know! *very wide eyes* I search it so many times in different ways on my cell, and I was so weirded out 'cause every time it would show. That's so funny. I kept laughing for some reason. OMG! *goes dramatic* I HAVE A LAUGHING PROBLEM! SOMEONE CALL THE AMBULANCE, THE NAVY, THE- Haina: *whacks head* Me: HEY! I INVENTED YOU! TRAITORRR! Haina and Nanami: *rolls eyes* Me: :D LOLOL. WAHOO! It shows I'm a die-hard fan to more of the world! MUHAWAHAHA!!! *crickets* O.o**

**ShiRo-AneMone****: Oh, new member eh? Welcome to ff! :D Yay, another new reviewer! :D Thanks! I'm glad ya like it! Hope you like it/stay with me till the end! :D**

_**Lucky-chan:**_** O.o –*miles in a teasing way* Now I'm not. :D *hides, then peeps head out, whispers* Actually I'm more scared of ****xXx .romance. xXx**** (no spaces, ff won't let me). She says she'll use the baka gun on me. *looks around carefully* If you read her review…O.o LOL xD. Ya, especially if it's someone like me. I practically chat with everyone with my review replies and A/N's. It's fun. xD. O.o Yeah, sure! *smile smile* :D To your BYB review, O.o I sorta did too. O.o I'm scared…it's 6 more days…Aug 27…so in Sept 2…O.o Yeah, it's gonna be on hiatus…O.o Since the people who reviewed me are on a rebellion thingymajig. :D Yup yup! Till next time! (O.o I'm still thinking of a c2 name. O.o Who knew it could be so hard without just putting RukaRu-TsuSaki/Rukaru-Tsusaki/TsuSaki-RukaRu/Tsusaki-Rukaru/'others related'? O.o I'll rack my brain very hard until I can't think anymore for 10 minutes. O.o LOLOL. :D)**

**VioletIsARockstar:**** O.o Yeah, once that happened to me, so if I write long reviews, I copy it, then if I lose it, I paste it on the review thingy. xD. And thank you! I'm happy you like it that much! Hope you like it/stay with me till the end! Wahaha LOLOL. When I saw that capitalized thing I'm like, O.O O.o :D I wonder how long that review would have been. O.o :D Oh, and one more thing! I saw your profile, and we ARE SO agreeing on ANTI-HAYATE! I definitely agree. '(DIE, YOU EVIL WIND-USER!)' Love those words, strong, but SO EFFING TRUE! OMG, I should make an anti-hayate thing here. LOL xD.**

**O.o I forgot the disclaimer…I think…Last time, so…here's the disclaimer!**

***insert something here*-chan (I have lots of those thingies…On prof. :D) does **_**NOT **_**own Gakuen Alice!**

**However, I **_**do**_** own *counts off fingers* Mikio Yamamoto, Haina Jikumaru, Nanami Miyuki, Aki Hayaku and Tadashi Moriwaki! Oh, and I own the plot, since no GA fanfic of my knowledge (I look through the back pages up. I'm on page 34 right now. O.o Fast eh?) has the same plot/idea as this. And if ever so far, it doesn't have any similarity at all or doesn't show it as much…So on. MUHAWHAWHA! Oh my god, something is fricking wrong with me.**

**Oh, and the dance majigy has like four parts because I don't have time to make them (the chapters) insanely long. :D LOL.**

**Oh, and I don't own the song either. I was going to compose a song for it, but my head can't think of tunes of some reason. T.T**

**Remember to answer that AAO question up there. I'm not doing anything THAT interesting (I think…It depends on what you think. xD) till it's answered with a yes or no, however you wanna say it. --BUT! The only languages allowed to answer it in is English, Tagalog, Japanese, and French (…I forgot to say in it others. O.o) xD xD.**

**This is a short chappie again, in my standards. T.T *vein pop***

**And yes, it's still Ruka POV.**

**I put the song for no reason. I'm just so addicted to that song-along with ****Sakura Kiss****- so I put it. Let's say the DJ put on music, but no one dances yet…Kk? 'K. :D**

**I think this is sort of like a filler of/or 'Ruka's thoughts' but…ehhh, I'll do it anyway. :D**

**Oh, one more thing (ugh, long A/N's again. -.-") the song lyrics are mostly right, but some of the echos are missing…so…yeah. Hmmm, did I or did I not just realized if that was or was not completely or not unnecessary? You didn't understand a single word of that last part, did you? Well, whether you did or not, my mental online face right now is still this: -.-"' O.o O.O**

_**(Come Back to Me by Utada Hikaru [Check it out, it's an AWESOME song. :D It's my favourite song right now…for four days so far I listened to it repeatedly…and I know it doesn't fit 100%, probably 50% or something, but bear with me, thanks!])**_

_**The rain falls on my windows  
And the coldness runs through my soul  
And the rain falls, oh the rain falls  
I don't want to be alone**_

_**I wish that I could photoshop all  
Our bad memories  
Because the flashbacks, oh the flashbacks  
Won't leave me alone**_

I looked around. Has the dance started yet? Or was it something else?

"Hey Ruka!"

I was so startled I spoke in french as I turned around, flustered.

"Que s'est produit? Où est la bombe?"*

I stopped ranting and saw Kitsuneme.

"Dude, I don't speak french, you know," he told me. Oh god, I swear I'm going to kill him. Second Koko, while I'm the second Kitsuneme. How ironic. I whipped around. Hotaru was gone. Damn! I turned to face Kitsuneme again.

"DUDE, WHAT THAT EFFING HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I said hysterically, waving my arms over my head like a mad man.

"DUDE, WHY ARE YOU YELLING?" He asked back stupidly and awkwardly, in ways. He's probably only yelling because I did and doesn't know the reason. It's not time to be stupid, Kitsuneme. Get your head in the game or something!

"HOW CAN I NOT?!?! YOU PEOPLE WANT ME TO CONFESS BUT THE MOMENT I _ACTUALLY_ GET COURAGE YOU SHOW UP! WHAT THE HECK IS _WRONG _WITH YOU?!?!" I went towards him and shook him so that his head almost fell off anime style.

"Dude, getta hold of yourself!" Koko pried my hands off his best friend's shoulders.

"Oh, come on Koko! I was about to confess!" Koko probably put two and two together, because he said,

"KITSUNEME! YOU DID _WHAT?!?!"_ Sumire really doesn't see the smart side of him, or maybe she's just teasing when she calls him an idiot. Who knows. When I came back to the world though, I saw Koko shaking Kitsuneme now, as hard as I did, possibly harder. Our friends, except Hotaru and Mikan, who were talking and apparently oblivious to that whole…thing, sweatdropped. "COME ON MAN! ANSWER ME! DUDE, YOU DID _NOT_ JUST INTERRUPT THE DUDE'S CONFESSION! COME ON!"

"DAMNIT DUDE, STOP SHAKING ME! MY LIMBS WILL FALL OFF!"

I heard Sumire say to the others, except for the oblivious girls who wouldn't have heard a thing anyway, "what an attitude exchange." Mikio nodded.

"Yeah, usually Koko's the one who would get called an idiot and stuff."

"Mmhm, it's not that rare, seeing them act like each other, but at the same time it's just wrong."

"I agree," Nonoko said.

"It's so wrong," Anna said, shaking her head. "It must be a guy thing to shake each other when you mess up their confessions or something."

"Yeah, that must be it. 'Cause _that,"_ Nonoko pointed to us three, "is not something I'd think a _girl _would do."

Nanami nodded. "Right you are."

**_If you come back to me  
I'll be all that you need  
Baby, come back to me  
Let me make up for what happened in the past_**

I zoned out for a bit. Wouldn't hurt anyway, so I tuned out Koko's…erm…convincing…er…thing, Kitsuneme's cries of…something I won't bother about, and all those other stuff. I was zapped into the real world again when I heard Kitsuneme shout, "MAN, I'M SORRY ALREADY! JUST STOP SHAKING ME, YOU IDIOT!"

I looked at them again, amused. Koko still shook him like mad.

…And who knows what minutes after, Koko finally stopped, saying, "INTERRUPT HIS MOMENTS AGAIN WITH THE GIRL HE LOVES AND I _SWEAR_ I'LL KILL YOU, EVEN IF YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND. YOU CAN'T JUST _DO_ THAT, MAN!"

"WHY?!?!"

"YOU HAD IT EASY CONFESSING TO ANNA," at this Anna blushed, "BUT THAT DUDE NEEDS CONVINCING AND STUFF-"

"-Um…Koko, I'm right here." He ignored me, and at that I mentally rolled my eyes. Koko continued.

"-JUST FOR HIM TO CONFESS TO-!" Right then and there my instincts worked and I covered his mouth before he could say anything damaging and fatal to my insane brain and insecurities, mainly, Hotaru's name. "Koko," I hissed. "SHUT UP!"

"MMN MMM MMMM!" Translation? Well, I actually don't know…That's not the translation. I let go of his mouth. Ok that's just _wrong…_

"Dude, hate to break it to ya', but I think you turned aggressive."

"Uh---huh. And you hate Sumire."

"What?! I could never hate her! She gets on my nerves sometimes-rarely-but I could _never_ hate her! Dude, what are you thi-"

"Koko, it's called _sarcasm,_ and if you don't know what it means, look it up in the dictionary," I told him matter-of-factly yet still sarcastic, arms crossed as I added an eye roll.

"Sheesh, _someone's _grumpy today."

"Shut up, you."

Koko pretended to zip his lips. "Shutting up right now, sir." He saluted. I rolled my eyes.

**_Chorus_**

**_Baby come back to me  
(Come back)  
I'll be everything you need  
(Come back)  
Baby, come back to me  
(Come back)  
Boy, you're (one in a million)  
(Come back)_**

**_Baby, come back to me  
(Come back)  
I'll be everything you need  
(Come back)  
Baby, come back to me  
(Come back)  
You're one in a million (one in a million)_**

_Okay, so, I'm about to confess, then _someone_ interrupts me_-mentally glares at Kitsuneme, that certain **someone**-_then I shake the crap outta him, then Koko comes along, shakes him after putting two and two together, scolds him yelling, and all that stuff…_I replayed the 'events', or a mere part of it is more like it, from the Dance in my mind. Hectic, is all I can say, really.

**_Lower east-side of Manhattan  
She goes shopping for new clothes  
And she buys this  
And she buys that  
Just leave her alone_**

**_I wish that he would listen to her  
Side of the story  
It isn't that bad  
It isn't that bad  
And she's wiser for it now  
I admit I cheated  
Don't know why I did it  
But I do regret it  
Nothing I can do or say can change that (Come back)_**

And now, I need to think of ways to approach her, thanks to Kitsuneme. –glares daggers at the _poor guy_, who felt a _certain someone_ glare at him and got scared, apparently- Geez, the one time and that happens. I think I have bad luck or something…or so I would say if I was seventy-five percent more or slightly less superstitious.

It's so hard being like this. _Torture,_ let me repeat again._**Chorus**_

I rolled my eyes to the back of my head. Damn, can't think of anything. I swear I'll really _make it up_ to Kitsuneme someday…

Hmm…I'll plan his humiliation or whatever later…_After _I think of a way to approach Hotaru, since he was _so_ stupid to…ugh.

Damn him.

If you actually think that I would 'make it up' to the dude, you must be really stupid. I haven't done anything to him, he has, and it's not good. So to speak, 'make it up to Kitsuneme ' really means, Kitsuneme, you better get ready for payback…I'd laugh evilly mentally, but I'm not going to become Nami or Haina…or Miki. No siree, definitely _not._

_**Everything I ever did  
Heaven knows I'm sorry babe,  
I was too young to see  
You were always there for me  
And my curiosity  
Got the better of me  
Baby take it easy on me**_

**_Anything from A to Z  
Tell me what you want to be  
I open my heart to be  
You are more priority  
Can't you see you've punished me  
More than enough already  
Baby, take it easy on me_**

Who knows what mental minutes later…(O.o LOL xD)

I guess you could take it I'm still thinking of a way to go talk to her after that damned amateur ruined it. Yeah, well, if you guessed that, then you're right…And I completely, utterly, _wholly_ hate Kitsuneme right now. The bastard.

I'm actually contemplating right now whether I should just go where Kitsuneme is, drag him by the ear (anime style), and make him think about my situation and _solve_ it by telling me what to do. If he's still in his stupid state, then it'll be horror for him. But I hope if he is, that he isn't stupid enough to tell me something that will turn out completely futile. Serves him right…And he's still a idiotic bastard.

**_(Baby... take it easy on me)_**

**_Baby, come back to me  
Baby, come back to me  
(Come back)_**

**_**Chorus x2**_**

**_La-La, La Laaa  
La La, La-La La Laaa  
La La, La-La La Laaa  
La, La, Laaa_**

More mental minutes later…

Yeah, I'll do that, since apparently I can't think straight for ways all because I'm still fuming.

Stupid Kitsuneme.

I'll go drag his ear now… *walks over to where Kitsuneme is*

***"Que s'est produit? Où est la bombe?" ****means****, "****What happened****? ****Where's the bomb?"**

**LOL xD. I felt like making Ruka act stupid in that in that part, so yeah. :D He was totally insane. O.o**

**And also, I don't know if that thingymajig is a guy thing. Just wanted to put it for humor, I guess. (?) Because no **_**DUH**_**, that just makes my gender clear to those of you who don't know. O.o**

**I think I made Ruka a bit aggressive…then Kitsuneme more stupid…then Koko crazier-in this chapter…I **_**think.**_** You tell me. *sweatdrops***

**I just realized it sorta looks like an A/N, you know, 'cause of this - '*'**

**Sorry for the short chappie (in my opinion :D). I would have made it longer, but at least you people know I'm still alive. :D O.o**

**Ja**** ne, ****please****review****, ****arigatou****!**

**~Nichi-chan/Niko-chan/Ni-chan/Arie-chan/Ariel-chan/'others' (Too many thingymajigs…Hard to decide which I like best. :D)  
**


	12. ED, TDJATI P4: It's Too Hard to Tell You

**O.o (Dunno, put that for no reason…:D)**

**Wait wait! Now I know why I put it. DON'T answer the AAO question…Unless even though you wanna know SO badly how they confess, you can wait. :D I get the impression you people are dying for his confession. **_**IF**_** he's the one who confesses… O.o I can't believe I'm that evil. xD. I know some of you also want to know what happened to the 'confession wrecker', AKA Kitsuneme (xD), and also that some of you are confused. Well…Maybe I could explain this chappie…and maybe not.**

**And I was **_**going**_** to make this particular fic, but another idea won that's going to be put up first, so if you like Aoi/Youchi (the name I made for them was too short so I'm still looking for possiblilites :D), KoMire, RukaRu (hey, some people take chances on pairs they hate, ok?), YuuKo, KItsuAnna and NatsuMikan, then you should check it out after this. I'm taking a most-likely-less-than-a-year break of BYB. O.o xD. And the main couple is Y/A, actually it shows the order there, but KoMire and RukaRu are probably tied, and same with YuuKo and KitsuAnna. I might have Haina, Mikio and/or Nanami there also. Vote when I'm finished with this fic. I have another OC, Rika Nogi. Yep, the twelve year old who was in BYB! (Did that just somehow rhyme? O.o) Only in that fic she's 16, because when I made her an OC, I meant her to be Aoi's age already. **

**(****So the ages are:**

**Aoi's age group, girls: 16**

**Youchi's age group, guys: 16 ½ , 17**

**Sumire's age group, girls [didn't know which person to pick so yeah]: 17**

**Koko's age group, guys [same with this one]: 17 ½ , a few 18 yr olds)**

**I'm not about to change that. xD. So yeah…If you read this, please tell me if you think it's a good idea! 'Cause on the last chappie I'm putting the summary (just made it now), the title (made it also), a preview (got it!), genre, blah, blah-blah, etc, vice versa, you get the idea**.

**Dude, what am I doing blabbing about the planned next fic? I should be talking about this fic! O.o**

**THAT'S WHAT I FORGOT TO PUT LAST TIME!!! Being the lazy ass at drawing ever since who-knows-when, most likely somewhere in August or middle of September, I only got to draw Aoi's dress. O.o So when my lazy ass gets up and DRAWS, I will put the links! O.o :D**

**Anyway, review replies…Oh, and I'm going to correct the other chappies, because when I saw them for the maybe seventh time, my eye twitched more than usual at the mistakes FF made…*(eye) twitch, twitch, twitch* Well…If I'm not going to be such a lazy ass. (Because of that, I just realized the reviewers names (that aren't anonymous or in nickname version) weren't underlined. Curse you download thingy. O.o And I just thought of tunes, FINALLY, so the next song-if there is-might be mine, since I made this totally random song. :D I'm trying to figure out how you guys can hear the tune though…)**

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y:**** :D O.o Don't worry…It's almost there…I think. Truthfully I didn't plan any of this, just the fact that it would be RukaRu, Hotaru would be heartbroken, and the confessing part, which I figured at like, chapter three when I **_**sort of**_** realized where it was going. O.o Yeah, sort of a combo of all three. **_**Because **_**he's annoyed and upset he became SLIGHTLY aggressive. xD.**

**xXx .romance. xXx:**** Ugh, I'm still pissed they won't let me write your penname properly. O.o And I'm still scared… *crawls up as a ball sucking on right thumb* xD xD xP LOL. Hope ya' update soon! Oh, and I don't get how you're confused…well, I **_**think **_**I know, but I'm not really sure I know. Get it? *crickets* O.o xP Have I ever mentioned that I like your penname? xD. I guess not. Well now you know. xP.**

_**Justinne-chan:**_** :D :D xD :D O.o Thanks for the review! O.o If you saw the thingy on my prof in the friends part, you might go like this: O.o. LOL xD. Oh, I read it yesterday on cell, 5:00+, so I'm gonna review it. Wahaha, it was funnniiiee. xD.**

**animeotakupooh:**** O.o Glad you liked it! I was outta my mind and wanted reviews, and to let you people know I'm alive. xD. The two week/fourteen delay chapter, the one with 10 123 words (I think the ending is 123…O.o) really killed me. Writing is addictive now. xD. Wahaha, you'll find out what. But in this chappie it's sorta more focused on the rest of the group and Haru…well, not Mochu or Wakako, they didn't really show up here…Just their names. xD.**

**VioletIsARockstar: ****On…DA? O.o Somehow I forgot what that is…O.o xD. I'm thinking about where to put it though… O.o I personally agree with what you're implying. THOSE PEOPLE ARE MEENTTTTALLL. O.o Whoo, you go girl! (You are…right? I tend to forget some-scratch that, lots of-things…O.o) If that happens, I'll count on you to do that, so if Tachibana Higuchi-san does that, tell me about your protest. xD. O.o Did you forget her name from frustration at the horror of…of…HayaRu?!?! OMFG…! I don't wanna think about it…Ugh. *shudders* O.o I noticed. xD. O.o Maybe, or maybe more. WAHAHA! LOL xD.**

**DISCLAIMER:** No, I do not own Gakuen Alice. But I'm happy that fanfiction exists, and people like my fanfics. No regrets on this. Besides, I write so much I could publish a book, so I'm okay with not owning it. Reasons for wanting to own it are these: HotaruXHayate…WON'T _EVER_ HAPPEN, it would be RukaRu and NatsuMikan and all those others I like, RukaRu would be equal with NatsuMikan, Hayate will get bad BURNED by his 'cool blue sky' (GOOD FOR YOU, EVIL WIND ALICE!!!), and…yeah, a lot of things…Also, my OCs would exist. :D

***says in sing-song voice* CLAIMER!!! (*normal voice* Is that EVEN a word? I see people use it here though…O.o): **I DO own Mikio Yamamoto, Haina Jikumaru, Nanami Miyuki, Aki Hayaku, Tadashi Moriwaki, and of COURSE this plllottt! :D I'm so happy I thought of it. xD.

**Oh, one more note. If you people DO read my A/N's, and read that disclaimer and claimer, just wanna say, I used some BYB characters, or would-have-been-soon-to-be characters in here, and one of the characters here is in the latest real chappie of BYB, which is chapter 5.**

**Oh, and Ruru-chan (Ruka: What the heck?!?! Me: Wow, you didn't see it then. Congrats on being blind, Ruka) was SO whipped about Ru-chan, so effing whipped. WAHHHOOO! O.o**

**This is a TOTALLY random chappie in my opinion. I dunno…O.o**

**I somehow go with the flow for Ruka, but Hotaru it's like I **_**actually have**_** to think. xD. I do like to think, okay? I think about random stuff all the time. xD. One of my favourite hobbies are thinking/spacing out…Or you could take out the slash. xD.**

**And you know how in Harry Potter, (if you watch it or whatever) in Hogwarts the ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky? Well, the ballroom is sort of like that too, only it wasn't bewitched. Say it was…I dunno, like someone had an alice that could help if you were to redecorate a place or something. Do you get me or not? If you don't I'll explain. :D**

**And now…I'll stop blabbing my guts out. :D**

**Normal/Author(who's acting very OOC-ish as myself in there)POV**

Well, as Mr. Ruka Nogi went over to Kitsuneme, and not for small talk either, we shall focus this chapter on others:

And…Lights, camera-you with me camera guy?-ACTION!

**NormalPOV (yes, it's normal O.o)**

Seeing that the three guys, (Kitsuneme, Ruka, Koko) were gone, and knowing Mikan was 'chatting' with Hotaru as a cover-up, the other girls 'joined' them to let Mikan know it was clear.

"Soooo-!" Sumire awkwardly butted in, putting her hands on the two girls' shoulders.

"Hi Sumi-chan!" Mikan said chirpily. At that, all the girls, excluding Hotaru, sweatdropped. When you butt into a person's conversation, I don't think your reaction would be that…err…chirp-y-ish…

Sumire wanted to palm-hit Mikan's head, Aoi, Mikio, Nonoko and Anna wanted to palm their own heads, and Nanami wanted to bang her own head on the wall until it made a dent, and Misaki wanted to palm her head and bang it on the wall.

Why? Because they all thought this conclusion, that either Mikan being 'smart' was limited, Mikan was literally being stupid or somewhere along those lines, she couldn't understand that while you could be nice to a person butting in your conversation (at that moment), you couldn't just go out there and say something like that, or the last one, which was that Mikan had to be that bad at lying or her brain's just not working, because otherwise she'd think of something more sensible to say.

Tsk tsk. Mikan, Mikan, Mikan…When will you change…Tsk tsk.

"O-kk…Weird…Anyway…err….whatcha talking about?"

_Sumire, seriously, you have GOT to be kidding me_, Mikan thought.

Weird much? She's clueless to her own mistake, yet she isn't with others.

**With Ruka, his 'diabolical plans'…and stuff…(Ahem ahem…)RukaPOV…**

I stalked over to confession wrecker and his best friend who-thank goodness-knocked some sense into him. Though I think he should have shaken him more…But if he loses more brain cells than he probably has already, well, he'll be even more of an idiot.

Seeing me come, Koko grinned widely…and somehow evilly?

Weird…

Eh, I'm here to do my ear-pulling business and whatnot anyway so…yeah.

Kitsuneme raised an eyebrow at Koko as I neared them, seeing his grin.

"Oi, Koko, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am…But _you_ won't be." Koko pointed behind him, to me. Kitsuneme slowly turned around, and then his face turned white. None of us really understand why I'm being so…I don't know, weird, I guess, but Koko says that it's probably 'cause I'm, and I quote, 'extremely annoyed and upset', unquote, which supposedly leads me to…acting like a drunk bastard who's ambition is to shake the crap out of people. I don't really know.

But who cares? I drag the guy's ear, torture him somewhere in the middle of the year randomly if I still haven't confessed, or Hotaru thinks I'm a weirdo, and…yeah. Maybe I'll go back to my sane state, because right now I'm a cross between a drunken bastard blah, blah, blah, and…myself.

So yeah…You get what I'm saying.

And if you don't, I'm still not sane, so I can plainly say, 'go rot in hell'.

Extreme, eh? Yeah, well, I'll repeat this again. I. Do. Not. Care. That slow enough for you?

Whatever, I shouldn't care anyway.

Hm, a guy driven by…the insane part of his brain.

Weird…again.

I just realized. I zoned out for more than five minutes, staying in the same place. I should have been dragging that guy's ear by now to somewhere secluded.

Dude…Don't get any ideas. That's just sick, even this insane mental part of me (that I never really knew was there, I think the idiot triggered it) can tell that.

"Oi, Ruka, snap out of your fantasises right now, okay? I don't want thoughts of your 'audience' in your brain thinking about not thinking about…eww…you…and my best friend. 'Drunken' state makes you perverted, you know that?"

"Shut the hell up, Koko. Do you _know_ the meaning of privacy?"

"Yeah, but when your perverted 'non-thoughts' get to me because you're _so loud_ in your head, I can't help but try to shake you out of it. Disgusting, I thought you loved Hotaru?"

"Sick bastard. Are you implying that I'd replace Hotaru for someone like that amateur Kitsuneme, who wrecked my confession in the first place and is now dating someone by the name of Anna Umenomiya?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at Koko pointedly.

Koko grinned. I'd like to add the word 'perversely' to the end of that sentence, since he's probably thinking of saying something perverted or just _wrong_. Sick bastard.

"So, you're saying that if Kitsuneme wasn't dating Anna you'd replace Hotaru for him?"

Ugh, I knew it. Fucking idiot.

"Dude, what part of 'he ruined my confession with _Hotaru_' don't you understand?"

"Oh, okay, I see what I was missing. You mean that if you didn't love Hotaru you would become gay and love my best friend."

"Ye-No! What the hell, Koko?! Who's the perverted sicko now?!"

"Hm, you are," he said simply.

"What kind of sick shit is that?!"

"Uh---huh," he said sarcastically, looking at me pointedly this time. "Who are you to say that to a mind reader? I don't think you could be Mikan, you know. Too much of a guy."

"That's because _I am a guy, _you fucker."

"No wonder you have perverted thoughts," he told me. I could _feel_ him laughing like a constipated maniac in his head, even if I'm not a mind-reading alice.

"It's so hard to talk to you!" I raised my hands in the air. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"One, don't kill my best friend. I think he wants to be married with Anna before you can do that."

"Sure thing, after the 'I now pronounce you man and wife', I'll go up there and kill him," I mumbled.

Koko rolled his eyes amusedly. "Yeah, okay, whatever. Two, stop the fucking 'drunken bastard' dramatics and confess to the girl already. I mean, it's like she's _calling for you._ 'Ruka…Ruka…Ruka…Just go up to me…'"

I passed a hand over my face. "Koko, never, and I mean _ne-ver_, imitate Hotaru, or Hotaru as someone, for example, the Juliet bit. I mean, what the heck is up with that?"

"Oh, you liked that one? Okay, 'Romeo, Rome-'"

"Dude…Imitate a guy or something. Or better yet, don't imitate someone at all. You suck." I knew he was doing the Juliet thing to one: piss me off, two: just for the hell of it, three: piss me off, four: I think he _wanted _to act gay (what would Sumire say?!), which leads us to number five: to piss me off. Have I mentioned that already?

"Party pooper. Mate, you gotta stop being so uptight. Loosen a bit, I don't need a second non-idiotic Kitsuneme."

"And what a twist that is," I muttered. "Tch, fine…I'll tell her. Just get out of my head."

"Gladly."

I walked away, cursing the perverted sicko and the confession wrecker.

Now I have alternative names for them. Amazing. (Note the slight sarcasm.)

**KokoPOV**

Wow, what a nice conversation. "Kit!" I called. My best friend came out from a random table. 'Drunken' Ruka's oblivious to his surroundings. Nice to know. "He's gone, ha, you're lucky I was there."

"Yeah," he said sarcastically. "How lucky I am."

_**Flashback**_

_Kit turned around and immediately went white. "Aw man! I'm dead! Koko my man, cover for me, pleasssee?" he pleaded. I should have brought a recorder or something. I'd laugh my ass off listening to Kitsuneme's desperate voice. Ha!_

"Sure,_**Kitsu-chan**__," I told him teasingly. He doesn't really hate the nickname from the gang (especially when Anna says it, he thinks it sounds cute, I read his mind that time, loud thoughts, you know) so I take advantage of the fact I can use it._

"_Yeah yeah yeah, whatever! Come on, cover for me man! I wanna live!"_

"_What," I said to him teasingly again, "you want to live long enough to marry Anna?"_

"_Sure! Come on…Just COVER FOR ME!!! I'm desperate dude!"_

_I rolled my eyes. "Scared of Ruka. You got it bad, man. Whatever, I'll cover for you. Hide under a table or a chair or near a wall or something."_

"_Whoo! You're the best, dude!" I liked non-uptight Kitsu better. No, not _that_ way, sickos._

_I walked casually over to Ruka. He seemed to be thinking…or spacing out, however you want to call it._

"Yes, you are. You should have heard what he said." I laughed in my mind. If I told him about the thoughts and whatnot, even though it was only teasing for Ruka, he would have slapped himself unconscious and…yeah. He 's sorta unpredictable, my best friend, I mean.

**With the girls, SumirePOV…**

"Random stuff, I guess." Mikan played along, shrugging.

"Okay then. So-! Hotaru, can I talk to you for a sec?" She seemed to know what this was about, because she sort of started to tear up. Well, I have to do it, I have to ask her, so…

"Yeah…sure…" I took her arm and walked to an empty table somewhere in the ballroom, both of us sitting on chairs beside each other. Luckily people were far enough to not hear us.

"Tell him…I'm not kidding!"

"You aren't serious," she deadpanned, her face and voice devoid of any emotion, but I knew she was panicking on the inside.

In a way, I understood. It wasn't like Koko or anything like that. This was…well, I don't know how to explain it really. It's more serious than any one of the gang, especially for Hotaru. I'm not sure how it is for Ruka though. I mean, for all I know, he could confess to her right now and she wouldn't believe it.

"Yes…I know what you're going to say but…Maybe this will all end…If you…you know…"

"Sumire, it isn't just that. It isn't just worrying about him rejecting me." She looked down at her arms and the tablecloth. "It isn't just worrying about our weird unspoken friendship. This isn't some schoolgirl crush, or 'love' but then you don't even have connection after graduating two days after. Sumire, I'm serious." She looked at me. "You know I am. They know I am. We all know that I _always _am, no matter what. It hurts me, you know, to think that it's more serious than the Mikan-Natsume thing, about missions. I don't know what to do! I think I've become a pessimist, I honestly don't know, but all I know is that I got to solve this fast before_ this _consumes me. I don't think…" Her voice was getting softer, "I don't think confessing is…the right choice. I mean…he could love me…and then tell me…and…and I wouldn't believe it…I'm torn Sumire, I…I really don't know what to do…This is the one problem I can't solve…" She laughed bitterly. "For once, Hotaru Imai can't solve a problem. That's a first." She looked back down at her arms. At her little speech I clearly saw the pain on her face the whole time. I wish I could help more. I wish I understood her. I wish I was Mikan, because maybe she'd know what to do. I inwardly sighed sadly. I understood, but at the same time I didn't, not knowing how it felt, not knowing it hurt her more than what showed on her face.

I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hotaru, it's normal," I said softly. "Love is unpredictable…But you're stronger than this. I _know_ you can handle this. Everyone who knows the truth about what you feel for him knows that you could handle this. Come on Ruru, where's the girl I know? Where's the supposed 'ice queen'? Where's the girl who used her baka gun at least three times a day? Hotaru, I believe in you. I know you won't let it consume you." I hoped my words could calm her down a bit. I was surprised when tear slowly made its way down her cheek. "But what if I can't? What will happen to me then?"

"We'll still be there for you, no matter what."

"I may not be completely convinced," she looked at me, smiling a bit, "but I think I'm okay for now…Sumire…Maybe I will confess…Maybe today…" she trailed off, but started again. "Maybe today I'm confident enough…I'm not sure…But…I will try. I promise."

"You don't have to promise me anything. Promise this for, maybe, your own happiness, okay?" Slowly she nodded. "Come on, let's go back." We walked back to our friends, but to be more specific, the female ones, and as Hotaru walked in front of me, I smiled softly. _Hotaru…I know you can do this. I know you'll confess…today._

**And CUT!**

**That's a wrap! Hope you like this weird, sarcastic, perverted, angsty, OOC-ed Ruka chapter! xD.**

**And now…the BAD NEWS! DUN DUN DUN…**

**It is August 31 in Canada!**

**Reviewers in other countries (I think you all are, xD): *crickets***

**Oh yeah…I forgot you people probably don't know what it means… *scratches head* Well, drum roll please!**

***drum roll***

**It's…It's…Oh my god, it's so horrible I don't want to say it…It's-! It's SCHOOL! Yes, SCHOOL! The utter, unimaginable horror!**

**Now, you may think I'm being dramatic. Well, that depends. Yes, I'm an overachiever, I get all A's and B's/excellents and that other word for B that I forgot. But that's not the case-! What is the case? The case that I AM GOING TO THAT FRENCH SCHOOL FOR GRADE SEVEN, NOT MY SANE ENGLISH-SPEAKING SCHOOL! NOOOOOOOO!!!**

**All those other drabbles about the horror of French school was just the GETTING READY part. I mean, there is no effing thing such as FSL (French as a second language or something along those lines) there! All French! Well, except for two English speaking subjects, and the hallways or something like that, as the vice-principal said. I can already predict my report card: all C's and under, but Religion and L.A (thankfully. If my best subject was in French I'd just DIE, and feel even more uneducated than I need to be) I'll get probably an A/B and a no doubt A. Oh god, save me now. Uwaahhhh~! *starts crying* No, seriously, I'm tearing up in my mind, I might actually tear up soon. T.T So please please please PLEASE review, maybe they can help make me sane. AFTER I finish my French homework (no doubt I'll finish the English ones at school -.-), I'll TRY to update. Please don't give up on this story! I PROMISE that it will probably only take up to the start of October! No way is it reaching November! I miss my school already…Wahhhhh. And the story I mentioned in the upper A/N, *looks up* **_**will **_**be created after this story is done. I need to read or update or write or **_**SOMETHING**_** that's English to make myself not go insane. Besides, it's not like I'll make a French fic (or maybe when I know enough I will *mischievous smile* for something…you can ask me if you want to know why) any time soon. Or read an ACTUAL book in French…or WRITE in French like THIS. I mean, seriously. OMFG, I just realized how many sentences I've been rambling. I bet I made the words increase like a thousand more…OMFG, I actually did. O.o So, please review, even if it's in-my-standards-again short. PLEASE, I BEG OF YOUUUUU! xD. Ja ne, minna-san! Arigatou gozaimasu! *bows***


	13. 000: It's Out!

**Hey guys!**

**Nope, not a chappie. This is just to let you guys know I'm publishing my new story after this note, in case you wanna read it! If you do, I hope you review!**

**Here's the info:**

**Tittle: Pairfect**

**Summary (non-talking version, full) : Aoi Hyuuga, Youchi Hijiri. Think about it. Aren't they just perfect for each other? Yeah, well, there's a few problems with that. Aoi thinks Youchi is a jerk. Youchi thinks Aoi, well, yes, isn't a fan girl, but he isn't exactly the type to go after a, what do you call it? A _girl_, that's what. Can their friends bring them together? What if Aoi still thinks Youchi is a jerk? What if Youchi still 'isn't interested'? Well, find out in 'Pairfect'!**

**I know, short summary. I can't believe it either. O.o Genre is romance/humor, T, as always, and the summary you'll see is this one, or part of it:**

**Summary (talking version, full): Aoi paced around angrily. "Oi, stop it." Aoi ignored Hotaru. "That...that...mongrel! How dare he?!" Rika rolled her eyes. "Yuh-huh. Call him a mongrel for...?" "Ugh, it's not worth telling you!" Sumire smirked. "Probably something along the lines of you and jealous." Y-A/RukaRu/KoMire/NatsuMikan/KitsuAnna/YuuKo/ReIka**

**Well, please check it out and review!**

**Arigatou gozaimasu, minna, ja ne!**


	14. ED, TDJATI P5: She Assumed, Not Knowing

**Hi hi! Izzzz me again! xD. Please read and review my new story, 'Pairfect!' The summary and stuff is in chapter 13, which is really the 3rd A/N!**

**Well, here are the review repliesssss!!! xD.**

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y: xD. Nope, but this one will be! xD. Thank you! O.o You remind me of my cousin in the States, she's 14 as well. xD. I dunno why though. Buhawhawha! When it's weekends it'll work out better! xD. O.o It's that unpredictable? xD. So, how do you think the confession is going to be like? Can you guess? Huh, huh, can you? *goes around you asking over and over again* xD.**

**xXx .romance. xXx: Grr…I swear, one day these typo things will never happen, or I am going to kill admin! xD. Aw…Don't worry, I'm still updating! I'm happy you like it that much! xD. That would be hilarious…But won't you have to take a plane or something since you're in Australia? xD.**

**animeotakupooh: Buhawhawha! You'll just have to find out! MUHHHHAAWHHAWWHA!!! xD. Actually, it's been my 3rd day already (but today's Saturday so yeah), and I ask this guy beside my locker (and sometimes other people) where our class is and stuff since we're in the same grade and we both sorta help each other. xD. We do have homeroom but it's like we go to a different classroom (or the gym, xD) every time the class changes. T.T It's so confusing, especially the French subjects (which is everything except English Language Arts and Religion, but gym is easy; you can tell by the actions…Well, it SORT OF is…). Ah, well, as long as I keep getting help, I'll be…less than okay but not rock bottom? xD-ish ish. LOL. Made up another word. xD.**

**Justinne-chan: xD xP xD xP xD. LOLOL. Maybe Ruka will say it first, maybe not…Or maybe something else will happen…BUHAWHAWHAHHAAHAHAHA!!! xDDDDD. :D On your review to chap13/A.N 3, xDxPxD. LOLOLOL. Don't worry, I'm not doing anything like that. I will CONTINUE! *pumps fist into the air* GA cast: *crickets* Me: Haha, xD.**

**Chapitre onze…O.o I might as well practice my French right? T.T The translation is 'Chapter eleven'. xD.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GAKUEN ALICE.**

**CLAIMER: I DO own the plot (yehey! xD.), Mikio Yamamoto, Haina Jikumaru, Nanami Miyuki, Aki Hayaku and Tadashi Moriwaki.**

**Oh, and before I go, you should check this out ((especially) if you hate HotaruXEvil wind user and like/love RukaRu…Wind-using bastard gets burned (not literally, too bad xD), it's hilarious! xD): Go to youtube, and put in the search thingy, 'Cool blue sky, how do you like me now?' xD. It was weird how I found it, (sort of,) but yeah.**

**Well, enjoy chapter eleven!**

**HotaruPOV**

I promised Sumire, I promised myself. Yes, I will do it. I will, I will, I will-Oh god, this isn't helping me.

I am-I can't believe I'm actually even thinking this-so doomed.

Hopeless. Fruitless. It's impossible. Ineffective. It's useless, pointless. Futile. My attempts will only be in vain. Nothing will come out of confessing to him but my heart even more broken, if that's even possible, and my pessimistic thoughts confirmed. I'm sure of it, and I hate it. I hate that I'm so pessimistic. I hate that he's the only one ever on my mind. I hate that he's invading my thoughts and becoming all I ever think about. I hate everything about the effects of…of…this. I do, but…the person concerned…I don't. It's so frustrating!

"Ho…taru? Are you okay…?" Mikan asked, cocking her head.

I shook my head. "I'm…fine." From the corner of my eye, I saw Sumire look at me skeptically. She knew I was lying. But I said I would confess today. The rejection will hurt but…I have to do it and get it over with. Then quietly I said, "excuse me," pushing past Mikan. I was somewhere in the crowd now…But where had…Where had Ruka gone?

**RukaPOV**

What the heck. No, seriously: What. The. Heck.

We were so close! Our whole group was within sight! And now I can't see a single one of them?! I blame perverted sicko and confession wrecker.

I turned around, craning my head and hoping to see one of them. I'm going to confess, not lounge around and make small talk.

I already have those PS and CW for that. Gawd…

"…Ruka…"

That voice…am I not hallucinating? It's…_her._

I would have barely heard it…But I was too eager to see her…In a sense. I turned around. It is her.

"…Imai…"

_Normal/HotaruPOV_

_So it's only Imai, right?_ Hotaru thought bitterly._I knew it, he could never love me. I might as well go, curl up in a ball and cry later on…if I can…But I know I'll still forgive him._

_RukaPOV_

"I…I just wanted to say that…I just wanted to say…" She stopped, and went closer to me. I didn't think that I would ever hear her stammer, but I did at that moment. And in my ear, she whispered, _"I just wanted to say that **I love you."**_

Those words…Those words I so long wanted to hear…Those words I have never dared to think would happen…Those words I dreamt of every night…Those words…the words she just said to me now…

She loves me.

She _loves _me.

She _**loves**_ me.

But my fantasies were ruined. It was too good to last! I knew, I knew, so when she pulled away and said, 'my business is done here…goodbye…', I was expecting it…But after that thought that she loved me, loved me back for that matter, I guess I would say that…on the most part, I guess I didn't.

Am I going to let her go? She'd already walking away! I don't want to make the same mistake again. I promise myself now.

I'll never let you go, no matter what.

Not again, not ever.

**HotaruPOV**

'"My business is done here…goodbye…"', I heard myself saying. It was! I don't need to be rejected fully in the face, no matter how much he tries to make amends with me. I did it already, I know I'm already rejected. I'm going to finish my other business now. I have to.

Goodbye, Mikan.

Goodbye, Sumire, Anna, Nonoko.

Goodbye, Mikio, Haina, Nanami.

Goodbye Natsume. Goodbye Yuu. Goodbye Koko, Kitsuneme.

Goodbye Aoi, Youchi, Misaki and Tsubasa-senpai.

Goodbye everyone.

And especially…

…Goodbye, Ruka.

**( -.-' OH MY GOD. SHORTEST FRIGGING CHAPTER EVER. OMFG, 1214 words. O.o) BUHAWHAWHA!!! You might (hey, I said MIGHT!) not think it's a cliffy, but it is! (O.o Now I'm SURE of it! That's…weird. xD.) BUHAWHAWHA!!! xD. What do you think will happen? And no, this isn't the end! (No DUH!) And this ESPECIALLY isn't the end of the confession! (Ha, did you think that was it?! (What do you take me for?!?! *mock shocked voice*) xD.) I wanna know what you think will happen! I need to know if any of you are close, so you A/N reading people can get 'a better idea'! BUHAWHAWHA!!! xD. Please vote on the poll in my prof, and remember, please read and review my new fic (which will be updated like, once with this and then after this fic…I'm not going to ABANDON this, or the other one!), 'Pairfect!' Like I said in the sum of this one, it's better than it looks! Seriously! xD. Reviews, guesses, and votes please! And for my other fic, reviews and all that other stuff (xD) please! Arigatou gozaimasu minna! Ja ne!!!**


	15. 1: Preview!

**HIIII! I was going to put a long _VERY IMPORTANT_ A/N but I'm too lazy to just go downstairs and get the paper I wrote it on. -.-' So I might add it later.**

**Anyway, guess what?**

**THIS IS A PREVIEW! (I bet you guys are happy for that but wish for a chapter.)**

**YESSSS! You heard mmeehhh!**

**Well, not really...Whatevah, anyway.**

**I can't believe I was so stupid! -slaps forehead- Why didn't I think of it before?!?! BAH!**

**Now, preview people!**

**(Oh, and the last name 'Bourne' was from Bourne Identity and the rest of that series thingy. I love action. Hehehe...Oh, and ****Carson Bourne just called me. It sounds better than it looks though. xD. I was gonna use a Japanese name, but yeah...)**

"I knew it was you all along. You don't fool me, Bourne," Hotaru hissed fiercely. Carson Bourne smirked at her.

"Really...Well then..." Carson went closer to her, lifting her chin with his index; making her look into his eyes. Her darkened violet orbs glared at him with the fire of hatred, but he looked back with teasing, gloating eyes that irritated Hotaru to the core. "Smart as always, sharp as always," he said, his cold breath on her face. Hotaru death glared at him again and harshly shoved his hand away. "You changed, I knew from the moment it happened, bastard."

Carson scoffed. "Changed? This is me. It always was."

"Damn you; can't be trusted."

Carson's blue-green eyes darkened also, to a shade very close to indigo. It showed he was serious. But then they returned to their normal color, and for a second Hotaru thought she saw his eyes soften. "How can you say that when you don't even trust yourself," he said quietly. Hotaru gasped and walked backwards in shock. Then she stood her ground.

"You don't know me!" she yelled defiantly. "You don't know what I've been through, and you never will!"

Carson neared her. "I know you, Hotaru."

"No! I trusted you! I-I...I thought that I could save you!"

Carson's eyes turned brown. "Maybe you did..." Then they turned blue-green again. "But you didn't succeed." Carson glowered. "Besides, I told you, I was always like this."

"Why did...you...?"

"You may not know why, but you know what you have to do."

"I won't!"

"Remember..." Carson's voice trailed off threateningly.

Images flashed in Hotaru's mind. She pursed her lips and glared once again.

"Fine."

"I know you want to, anyway."

"I agreed. So leave my life alone."

"There was never a contract to that."

"There was never one to force, either. It's not fair play, don't tell me we need a contract. You play dirty, then I'll get my hands stained as much as I want." An amused smirk came from the sixteen year old boy.

"Same old, on outer..."

"Shut up. I'm as different as you'll ever know." _Not that I wanted to be. I wanted to be the same. I didn't want to...to..._

"Outer..." He told her again softly. Hotaru's eyebrows twitched.

"When..." she asked, though it didn't sound like a question.

Carson looked up and closed his eyes. Opening them and looking back down at her, he said, "a half hour." Hotaru bit her lip, nodding. In more than thirty minutes, it would be verified. It would be confirmed. And it would be final.

**Was that unexpected? I think it was. I'd write 'haha' in place of this sentence I'm writing now, but the preview got to me...O.o**

**So, can you guess what that was all about? Huh?**

**I also realize that people might think that two certain things are going to happen in place of the real truth. But I'm going to see if anyone guesses correctly and if anyone guesses that thing that I think people will think. O.o**

**Please review me on what you think of the preview and so on!**

**ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU, MINNA-SAN! GOMENASAI!**

**~r-r.p**


	16. 000: Perfect Crap

**-.-' I'm a bad person.**

**Bad news.---That's what I've got for you guys; bad news.**

**And if you think I'm going to delete, rewrite, revise or give away this story, YOU ARE EFFIN' CRAZY.**

**Like my friend (triplet :P) Aly, aka Live For You/Sinfully Innocent. (Wow, innocent??? I thought our sisterhood was evil! O.O I'm not too sure about Jani though...)**

**I just hope no one tells her I wrote this or anything. :P**

**Anyway, I think people like this story enough to tell me not to do any of those...not that I was going to.**

**...And again, if you thought that, you're crazy.**

**But now for the bad news: OMFG THIS FIC MIGHT REACH LIKE UP TO MARCH OR SOMETHING NEXT YEAR! -cue the dramatic gasps from the crowd-**

**At least that's the bad news, but that's why it's called bad news; It's bad. -.-'**

**xXx .romance. xXx (no spaces), I bet you're going to kill me...**

**But yeah. French school is hectic. It sucks like...I dunno. I just know that it sucks and now I'm more pressured and stressed and stuff. And more emo. BLLLLEEEHHHH.**

**Anyway...make me feel guilty. Please. It'll help me to the point of making me more insane and torn between the two-aka, homework and ff. -.-'**

**I am already. I got 2 (or was it 3?) alerts/favorites the past week and today I got 2 alerts, a favorite and a review. And I'm not just talking about YHIAW.**

**So make me feel guilty. Review, alert, favorite, bug me on messages, WHATEVER. Just do it for pete's sakes. Uhhh...yeah.**

~r-r.p the weird emo kid. O.O :P


	17. Thoughts Tell More

**Review replies! :)**

**S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y: xD. Actually, that was originally going to be it, you know, Hotaru thinking of doing that (I found a good reason but it's not because she thought Ruka rejected her), but at the last moment as I wrote that dramatic goodbye rant, I decided to change it…Good guess though! It's SORT OF close…I can't elaborate. xP.**

**xXx .romance. xXx: Yeeeeaahh….I'm scared of you…O.o And that's weird because you had different emotions reviewing this and 'Pairfect!' O.o That's the point though…Too suspenseful I guess…But that's why I put suspense in the summary at chapter 10-minus. O.o No, I don't want anyone to get a heart attack. *chokes* My suspenseful writing is dangerous! I'll put warning signs…I hope your health doesn't go down. O.o Yep, I'll arrange the…arrangement. xD. Hehe, then I SHALL KEEEEL YOUUU! JK. I will...something. O.O But izz okay...as long as you update before...July. :P**

**_Lucky-chan:_ xD I almost forgot what 'désolé' meant. xD. I remembered like, a second later. :D O.o Yep, three updates and a new fic in 10 days. Awesome. xD. O.o I checked your proffy after reading the whole review on cell, xD. That was amazing! LOL. Liked what you put on my part, 'if she sees you pairing Hotaru up with Hayate you can call yourself a goner' and 'she'll even chase you in the afterlife' made me try my hardest not to burst out laughing where I was…which happened to be when I was in the fam car. xD. That's the trouble with a cell. xD. Aw, that sucks. :( Ehmm….Let's just say…I'm not rock-bottom but I'm below okay. xD. It's so confusing…T.T xD. 'Chapitre onze c'est SUPER XD I know my french sucks but whatever' LOL. That line was O.o xDDD xPP awesome. LOL. O.o You whacked me with an inflatable hammer in happiness. xD. O.o Yep-a-booyah, xD, but that's not the end of the confession part. *winks* Madwoman…hm, that's about right, considering the inflatable hammer part. xD, just kiddin'. LOL, but that's hilarious. xD. Yeah, I know. I got a person saying 'meanie!' and a person 'threatening' me. The one who said 'meanie' I'm okay with…with the threatening one I'll think I'll hide somewhere…xD. xD xD Nice, I have suspenseful writing. That's so awesome-ly…awesome. xD. :D :) Yay~! xD, I do that too. Haha, your prof is right! xD. BUHAWHAWHA, I think I'll torture Aoi with the teasing and Youchi with…something. xD. xD. Coolio. 'Cause if I don't, I'll go insane…But I think I mentioned that. xD. Yeah, I think we should. :D Any ideas for the c2 name yet? When it happens (you know…when we make it) and I'm on, for sure there will be 30+ fics already. xD. Maybe 50+…Hmm…:D =D LOOL, I showed her though. NOOZ! NOT GONNA HAPPEN GIRL. It sooo will. Meh will kills youuu! D O.O LOOOL. Oh, the emo kid is gone for now. I'll tell her later. The guilty kid is here though. Wanna say hi?**

**stripedichigo: O.o S'okay. :D As long as I know you people are alive and well. O.o Thanks! O.o Hope you get over the writer's block. O.o Foreign language. xD. I kept laughing at that part in your review. xD. I would find it weird though if someone put a 'D' after a 'T'. O.o If it WAS a foreign lang though, I'd put it in an A/N. xD. Yeah, I thought it was sorta funny too. Like, a bit serious but still…funny. xD. Wow, really? O.o For the Hotaru suicidal thingy, just look at what I wrote for 'S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y'. It's there, just too lazy to copy n' paste it here. xD.**

**Septhra lexienne: Thank you~! :D**

**VioletIsARockstar: BAHAHAHA! xD. I kept laughing at the first line, I almost fell off my chair. xD. It was because of how you wrote it. LOL. Go see what I say to 'S-I-L-E-N-C-E IS B-E-A-U-T-Y' and you'll see my answer to that. :D Haha, yeah, Ruka is. But yeah, that's why we love him! ;3 Maybe I should make a anti-Hayate/we love Ruka thingy instead. xD. But I'm not going to become Sumire or Wakako. I'm just…showing that Hayate effing sucks. Haha. Oh, and I found a mock name for him. 'Gayate'. xD. I'm going to make a fic or one-shot where Hayate gets burned bad by Hotaru. Whoo! And then…Maybe he discovers he's gay. Haha. Awweesomme~! xD. Associating this fic with…karaoke? O.o How? Maybe I should go back to your reviews and my review replies… *sweatdrop* Answers for…? Ehh…I need a better memory. =3 I'll check later. :D :D Thank you! *emo-ness gone temporarily***

**animeotakupooh: Hehe, arigatou! Maybe…You'll find out. MUHAWHAWHAAAA! O.o –sweatdrop- I'm crazy. O.O Wooow. Yep, I'm sleep-deprived too. =.=' SURVIVE. I SHALL HELP YOU. xDDD. Here's the update!**

**_Justinne-chan:_ :D MEH HAPPSSSS! Of COURSE I'll continueeee! :D For ya' second rev, O.O I LOVE THAT REVIEW. O.o THAT WAS AWESOMEEEE! LOL xD. I dunno why, meh weirdeee----ly weird also. BUHAWWWW. O.O**

**MhaRz_gudgHurL : Ahhh…Yep, I get it. :D Well, I try! I'm happy you like my story and that it's one of your favs! O.O I feel so happy! I made a person review for the first time! Ohmig, you hear that, world?! LOL xD. O.O I'm flip too!!! :DD**

**.|neleenchan:3|. : IKR?! Ahhhh!!!**

**mangafan: :D Thankies. I'mmmm soooooo sorry. I updated really late. Guilty guilty guilty me. =.='**

**

* * *

**

**The review replies were from before, but I just added stuff and such. O.O So even if the info isn't 'up-to-date'...welllll, yeah. It explains down there..ish.**

**Chapitre deux…no, wait…it's douze. Ehehe…*scratches head sheepishly* Nooo...wait...AHHH I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!!!**

**RukaPOV**

Where the heck is she? I've lost her again!

Damnit Ruka. You effin' idiot.

_Come on Hotaru…where are you?!_

I looked around. Okay…So I'm looking for someone wearing purple-may I add that she looks beautiful in it and that I'm totally whipped-silky long black hair, mesmerizing amethyst eyes-Ruka, stop daydreaming. This is _not_ the time.

**Ruka: *sputters in disbelief and embarrassment* Ya-what?! ARE YOU EFFIN' INSANE?!**

**Me: *rolls eyes* Dude, I'm the one controllin' the story man. You don't like my rules, I make you gay…Nah, that's Hayate's job…Hmm…I'll make you…get tortured…Buhawhawha! And I can think of a way that's extremely satisfying and not damaging to my thoughts. I don't want you being gay or with someone else. It'll scar me forever. I tried to read a Natsume-Ruka-Persona fic, and by the end of that I was twitching, I had injurious thoughts countless times for four weeks or more, and…ugh, I don't wanna remember it. It was like somewhere in the middle of August I think. I was friggin' scarred.**

**Ruka: THOSE _ACTUALLY_ EXIST?!?! DO THEY EFFING THINK WE'RE GAY?!?! I'M SUING THEM!**

**Me:…You can do that?**

**Ruka: OF COURSE! Why wouldn't I???**

**Me: *sweatdrop* *mutters* I hate 'ta break it to ya'…**

**Ruka: What?!?!?!**

**Me: _EHEM_…As sorry as I feel for you…Ahem…Nevermind…-sweatdrops-**

**Me: OKAY, OKAY! I just had to do it. -.-' Sorry! That part up there isn't really part of the chapter. LOL, I did most of the review replies and most of the other things there the day I was making it. I just decided now that that wasn't part of the chapter…Or maybe I knew unconsciously…Dunno. Okay, I'll stop preventing you. HERE YOU AREEE!!! Hope you enjoy!**

**And I want at least…9-10 reviews, okay? The more reviews, the more guilty I get, and the more guilty I get, the more likely it is for me to update faster. -.-' I'm serious, this is not a scheme.**

**And the balcony thing was just made up now…SOOOO…yeahhh…The lights part-I don't think it makes sense...**

**Oh, and I made a one-shot yesterday or the day before. I don't remember. Hehehe.**

**CHAPTER TWELVE! (Sorry, I confused you guys…I thought it was the thirteenth. Too lazy to change the things though...No, wait...nevermind. ^^') Oh yeah, and...**

**DISCLAIMER: ME NO OWNY GA. :P**

**CLAIMER: I own this story, this plot, Mikio Yamamoto, Haina Jikumaru, Nanami Miyuki, Aki Hayaku and Tadashi Moriwaki, and...EVERYTHING!!!**

**...Except for GA and it's characters. NOOOOO!!!**

**And I'mma try to update all ma fics today. No homework and it's Saturday!! Only 6: 07!!! YES, THANK YOUUU!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...I'll shut up now.**

**Chappie 12-Review and don't kill me!!! :D**

**Oh, and it's really random in Ruka's parts in this chappie-yet again, don't kill mehh! I'M AN INNOCENT 12! Well, not really...;)**

**HotaruPOV**

_I don't want to do this! But I have to…_

I looked forward. There it was. It was shadowed on and secluded. It was near the balcony of the ballroom, near the back.

Damn him. Damn that Bourne.

_He took over..._

**RukaPOV**

The lights darkened.

"Minna-san! So how's it going?" Narumi got the microphone from the DJ.

Cheers.

"Great! So, how about some songs to start us off?"

Shouts of agreement.

"Awesome!" Damn, he sounded gay, "So, here's one!"

_**Just the Girl by Click Five**_

_She's cold and she's cruel  
But she knows what she's doin'  
She pushed me in the pool  
At our last school reunion  
She laughs at my dreams  
But I dream about her laughter  
Strange as it seems  
She's the one I'm after_

"Reminds me of someone I know," a voice said slyly. I turned around. AGHHH! PERVERTED SICKO! WHY?! YOU HATE ME KAMI, DON'T YOU!!!

"Shut up, you."

"Well, her 'outer exterior' is cold and cruel, she always knows what she's doing, she probably _would_ push you in a pool when our high school reunion surfaces, she knows A LOT of things, so she would laugh at your dreams, and yeah, you are after her."

"ANNOUNCE IT TO THE WHOLE WORLD, WHY DON'T YOU KOKO."

_Cause she's bittersweet  
She knocks me off of my feet  
And I can't help myself  
I don't want anyone else  
She's a mystery  
She's too much for me  
But I keep comin' back for more  
She's just the girl I'm lookin' for_

_(NormalPOV)_

"Ahem, ahem, if you insist."

"Oh, just shaddup, don't you have anything else to do?" Koko thought about it for a minute.

"Nah."

"Oh, you are hopeless."

"Me?" Koko said innocently. "I'm not hopeless! I'm very useful!"

"...Yeeahhh, you have the mind reading alice but you don't use it very smartly do you."

"Wha-I-NOOOO-AGHHHH!!!"

Sweatdrop, sweatdrop.

"WAIT! This is about you, Ruka. So, back to it-this part of the song is also true."

"Honestly, be quiet."

_She can't keep a secret  
For more than an hour  
She runs on 100 proof attitude power  
And the more she ignores me  
The more I adore her  
What can I do?  
I'd do anything for her_

"Wow, no wonder your thoughts are like that. You just 'adore' her more and more don't you?" Koko taunted.

"If you talk any more I will kill you Koko. Shut up."

_Cause she's bittersweet  
She knocks me off of my feet  
And I can't help myself  
I don't want anyone else  
She's a mystery  
She's too much for me  
But I keep comin' back for more  
She's just the girl I'm lookin' for_

"I think the chorus is probably the best. It fits you the most. HAHA!!"

"Do you want to live or not?!"

_The way she sees it's me  
On her caller ID  
She won't pick up the phone  
She'd rather be alone  
But I can't give up just yet  
Cause every word she's ever said  
Is still ringin' in my head  
Still ringin' in my head_

"Ooohh, harsh."

"OKAY, THAT'S IT!"

_She's cold and she's cruel  
But she knows what she's doin'  
Knows just what to say  
So my whole day is ruined_

"True, but it is 'ruined' not ruined. There's a difference you know."

"PREPARE TO DIE!"

"You're still not done with your speech? Gosh, a long time passed already and you say that now..."

"I-!!!"

_Cause she's bittersweet  
She knocks me off of my feet  
And I can't help myself  
I don't want anyone else  
She's a mystery  
She's too much for me  
But I keep comin' back for more_

Koko might as well have fallen onto the floor and laughed his guts out. Sweatdrop. Just like the whole 'Hotaru-hit-herself-with-a-pillow-thing'. Oh, well...

_Cause she's bittersweet  
She knocks me off of my feet  
And I can't help myself  
I don't want anyone else  
She's a mystery  
She's too much for me  
But I keep comin' back for more  
Oh, I keep comin' back for more  
She's just the girl I'm lookin' for  
Just the girl I'm lookin' for_

"Oh, so _NOW_ you shut up but you won't stop laughing! What is this world coming to?!"

_I'm lookin' for  
I'm lookin' for  
I'm lookin' for  
Just the girl I'm lookin' for_

Koko wiped tears from his eyes. "Haha, you were so funny!"

Sweatdrop. "What the hell?!"

"What?!"

"What you!"

"What?"

"You what you!"

"I'm confused."

"_I'm_ confused."

"What?"

**HotaruPOV**

I cautiously looked around me. No one should know what I was about to do.

I went around until I saw him hiding behind something.

I walked further and then he saw me. He smirked.

_Bastard._

_Traitor._

Those words appeared inside my mind, but I knew it was my fault.

"Hello, _Hotaru_."

**NormalPOV**

"I knew it was you all along. You don't fool me, Bourne," Hotaru hissed fiercely. Carson Bourne smirked at her.

"Really...Well then..." Carson went closer to her, lifting her chin with his index; making her look into his eyes. Her darkened violet orbs glared at him with the fire of hatred, but he looked back with teasing, gloating eyes that irritated Hotaru to the core. "Smart as always, sharp as always," he said, his cold breath on her face. Hotaru death glared at him again and harshly shoved his hand away. "You changed, I knew from the moment it happened, bastard. From the moment I saw you, I knew it wasn't really _you_."

Carson scoffed. "Changed? This is me. This is who I am. It always was."

"Damn you; can't be trusted." But then she thought, _though I know it was my fault you changed...__**Haru.**_

Carson's blue-green eyes darkened also, to a shade very close to indigo. It showed he was serious. But then they returned to their normal color, brown, and for a second Hotaru thought she saw his eyes soften. "How can you say that when you don't even trust yourself," he said quietly. Hotaru gasped and walked backwards in shock. Then she stood her ground.

_Is it you? Are you fighting this time? I'm so confused, Haru._

"You don't know me!" she yelled defiantly. "You don't know what I've been through, and you never will!"

Carson neared her. "I know you, Hotaru."

"No! I trusted you! I-I...I thought that I could save you!" _But I didn't._

_Maybe though...maybe you do know some of what I've been through..._

Carson's eyes turned brown. "Maybe you did..." Then they turned blue-green again. "But you didn't succeed." Carson glowered. "Besides, I told you, I was always like this." _You weren't! You...you...you weren't ever like this..._

"Why did...you...?" _Why did you embrace the fact? You didn't try to fight it off, Haru._

"You may not know why, but you know what you have to do." _I know what I have to do. But I don't want to do it..._

"I won't!" _Or will I?_

"Remember..." Carson's voice trailed off threateningly.

Images flashed in Hotaru's mind. She pursed her lips and glared once again.

_I won't risk losing anyone else...even if it's you I'm against, Haru._

_But I guess you're lost..._

"Fine."

"I know you want to, anyway." _Who wants to die? I'm heartbroken. I'm lost and confused. I'm always nervous now and I'm depressed. Maybe sometimes I feel life isn't worth living. But I don't want to die._

"I agreed. So leave my life alone." _Please..._

"There was never a contract to that."

"There was never one to force, either. It's not fair play; don't tell me we need a contract. If you play dirty, then I'll get my hands stained as much as I want." An amused smirk came from the sixteen year old boy.

"Same old, on outer..." _You aren't who you were. You're not him anymore. I don't know you, not anymore._

"Shut up. I'm as different as you'll ever know." _Not that I wanted to be. I wanted to be the same. I didn't want to...to...to be like this...I didn't want you to change. My life altered that night. And now...Now that I love someone...I'm afraid._

_I guess I really am different._

_But I'm not as bad as what you are now._

"Outer..." He told her again softly. Hotaru's eyebrows twitched. _If it's you, just say so!_

"When..." she asked, though it didn't sound like a question. _Please...Just..._

Carson looked up and closed his eyes. Opening them and looking back down at her, he said, "a half hour." Hotaru bit her lip, nodding. In more than thirty minutes, it would be verified. It would be confirmed. And it would be final.

She would die.

Why was everything like this?

Why?

**KokoPOV (Inside his mind)**

'_Let me go!!!'_

_What...what was that?_

'_You piece of crap!'_

_Who are you?_

'_Leave me alone!'_

_Huh?_

_Sheesh, this world is so confusing. Dramatic much?_

**With Haina, HainaPOV**

"So..." Weirdo (Aki) winked. "What's up?"

I rolled my eyes and set him straight. "Look, stupid. If you're trying to impress me, it's not working. I don't notice guys like you."

"What, guys who are abnormally hot?" Now he was wiggling his eyebrows. What the heck?

"No, guys who are arrogant, idiotic, weird, not worth talking to, blah blah, so on."

'_I'm not doing this for you!'_

_What was that?_

'_What's wrong with you?!'_

_Uhhh..._

'_I hate who you've become!'_

_That's nice...What is this? What the heck?_

I was 'brought back' into the real world when I heard _him_ say, "Hey, I thought you didn't like me?" Stupid smiled stupidly (which is what other girls would call flirtatiously or boyishly. Puke, puke, how revolting).

"I don't." I was a bit confused, but like _I_ would tell him that. Though I doubt he'd understand. The baka.

"Then why are you staring at me?" My eyes widened. Oh, _SHIT!_

"I'm not!"

"Stop denying it; you like me Ji." He smirked in triumph. _AS IF! YOU ARROGANT SON OF A...!_

"What am I, your grandfather?! The nerve of you!" I slapped him across the face and stormed away. Good for him. It'll show him not to mess with _me_. That bastard!

**xD. Haina's part was fun writing. The 'Ji' part just came to me at that moment. Haha. I know it's supposed to be two 'i''s to make it 'grandfather', but who cares. :P**

**I would have made this longer, but I can't.**

**Aren't you happy I updated? Don't you just love me? xD.**

**Do you love me enough to make me guilty and send me alerts, reviews, etcetera (mostly reviews)?**

**:D**

**Review onegai! Oh, and some guesses would be good. ;)**

**This shall officially be called update day! 'HAPPY UPDATE DAY!' O.O**

**That doesn't mean I'll only update this day. :D**

**I finished this chappie-Nov 21 2009 9:59 :P**

**I actually started it A LONG TIME AGO, but that was for the reviews and some of the chappie (that I decided was fake xD) and that note thing and such...But I did most of it today. Which is the day up there. ;) REVIEW AND MAKE ME GUILTY! I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**~r-r.p the happy person who is not guilty anymore because she updated at least. O.O ;)**


	18. 000: Read!

Okay guys.

I forgot to put that I dedicate that chappie (number 17) to Justinne/JustinneXD because...of a deal on FB. (BTW Love that fic you dedicated to me, I just haven't reviewed yet but I read it at the time I said I would. ;D)

Also, I think I might update more...(??) My 'now' laptop got fixed (it crashed before-took 11 (?) days; sooo long T.T) and then if I finish my homework really fast...Yeah.

I didn't update the times I could because I already had planned some of the chappie and such so yeahhh...Soooorryy.

Also it's because of French school. It's A BIT better now...but only because I have friends who help me. xD. We got report cards and I SOMEHOW failed at Math and Health. (Passing mark is 65%)

I mean, who the heck puts 'applies extra effort' and gives you a comment that says '-------'s work demonstrates a limited understanding of this term's key learner outcomes. She needs to continue to complete, assess, correct and review all assignments before writing exams.' That is PURE CRAP-O. For pete's sake woman, you say that but you can't spell hamburger and cheese (I'm serious). THAT IS A RETARDED COMMENT. THEN, she gives me a freaking forty. Dude, Math is MY SECOND BEST SUBJECT and YOU tell me THAT?! I WANNA SUE SOMEONE. Honestly. UNBELIEVABLE!! Besides, I guessed sometimes at the tests and stuff because it's FRENCH. I WILL SUE YOOOOUU.

Health...was unfair but I'm not gonna freak out so much. =.=' At least I got a 60. I bet I'd get at least an 89 if it was in English. =.='

THEN, my effin' ELA (English Language Arts) teacher gave me a 70, saying '------- clearly and logically demonstrates that she understands the concepts taught in class. Though she demonstrates a growing understanding of the persuasive paragraph, regular entries in her notebook will continue to improve her writing skills. It is also very important that ------- continue to read on a daily basis, this will greatly improve her vocabulary and comprehension skills.' DUDE, I AM PAST PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPHS. I AM AN INDEPENDANT PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO LA (except for the French one TToTT) AND IF YOU MAKE ME GO INTO FREAKING GROUPS ALL THE TIME, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ANYTHING?!?! I WILL SUE, I TELL YOU!!! LA IS MY BEST SUBJECT, YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT! DARN YOU.

And, to TRY and stop rambling about my school, mostly my report card, I'll go back to the subject of FF:

TT^TT I updated and I get...no reviews. TT^TT

Not even any alerts!! Why did I bother. TToTT

And the hits...was like, hardly any!

When I said it might take up to March I meant that's when the story might end!!!

TT^TT

~r-r.p who wants to sue someone and TT^TT at the same time...TT^TT


	19. Curiosity and the Invasion of Thoughts

**LOL, sorry for not updating! People have been telling me to update... Anyway, review replies! ;)**

_Justinne_: LOL, remember that guy who was flirting with her (or trying to, at least...), Aki? Yep, that's him. If you don't remember go to that really long chapter...LOL. Bunny ears :3

**MhaRz_gudgHurL: **Ahaha! Thanks. (:. I was kinda out of it that day so I went all…blah. P:

**Permanent Violet**: LOL. Really…Maybe…Hmm. P: HAHA! Yes, I was born a genius. P: JK. OMG. That's a good idea. P: Mind if I use it and make a crack fic out of it? xD. Actually, I have 8 (7, now) subjects and 6 (now 5) of them are in French. Bleh. LOL! You wrote about a banana…And I just got another crack fic idea. O.O

_Yenny:_ In order P:: LOL. IKR.  
XD. All hail Koko. And me. Duh. P:  
Mikan rubbed off on her…? (x  
:D!  
HAHA!  
O.O  
HAHA THANKS!  
O.O That's the fun of it – TORTURE.  
IKR? (x  
LOL!  
Yeppp. *nods* x)  
Buhawhawhaaaa, maybe he does.  
P: Haru – you find out. P: Hotaru – you find out. LOL, :D. And, no refunds. P: Did you think it was finished…? ==

**animeotakupooh:** O.O. Well, it's getting better. P:. How long do you want it to go, then? I can stand torturing people with the longness. xD. Don't worry though, even when YHIAW ends, you have others that might be as fun. ;) P: I know Pairfect is.  
O.O Oohh, bad. O.O SCREAM. :D. And yeah, I will. P: I'll give you a heads up x)

**OKAY! SO! SORRY OMMIIGOOSSSH.**

**I lost fans, didn't I? == Ah, the French horror…Frick you.**

**But, like I said in 'Nobody's Home's A/N (if you've read it), if I don't finish/update this before my thirteenth (that's one-three, not three-zero) birthday I'll murder my fics somehow. O.O**

**Oh, and I just checked my story stats, and when I looked at YHIAW's favs I saw 42. I was like, 'WTF? Isn't it 12?' Then I realized I was right. (x**

**Chapter thirteen is UP!**

**HAPPY READING!**

**Review and bug me – make me guilty.**

**PLEASE VOTE ON MY POLL. :D**

**This reminds me – thanks to my friend ****aNimeLover-chAn05****, aka **_**Bub**_**, for telling me to update YHIAW lots of times. :D**

**So,**

**DISCLAIMER and CLAIMER: I own my stories – not GA. I own my fanfics – not GA. And, I own my wonderful (xP) plots – not GA. Got it? GOOD. P: OH, AND REMEMBER! I OWN MY CHARACTER THINGIES. STEAL AND DIE. P:**

**HotaruPOV:**

"Can you move it?" _Carson_ said, annoyed. I glared at him.

"Oh, shut up, Bourne."

"Heh."

_Carson_ looked around and when he saw that no one would be able to notice us, he shoved me forward, grabbed my arm and pulled me to the balcony. I pulled my arm away from him roughly.

"I'd rather not be man-handled," I spat. "Asshole," I mumbled, getting as far away from him as I could.

"Tch. Just go curl up in a hole and die for all I care," he threw at me. "You'll die either way."

"Oh, shut up, I'm not going to do that."

"Why not? You can't give me the whole reputation crap, Hotaru. I'm pretty sure everyone knows." I smirked.

"Not everyone. I see you've become stupider."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"It wasn't one." He shrugged. He looked at his watch.

"Twenty-five." I glowered at him.

**RukaPOV**

After I somehow managed to get away from perverted sicko (he was staring into space), I went past the crowd to an area where I wouldn't be mobbed and knocked off my feet.

Otherwise known as very close to the wall.

But then I heard bickering. Kind of.

"_Look._ I'm going to tell you one last time. _**Go.**_" Suppressed yell.

"You aren't exactly someone I'd follow." Scoff.

A growl. "If you know what's good for you, then goddammit, go and _jump off already."_

I frowned. What was this about? The voices sounded a bit familiar, but vaguely. I scooted closer to the direction of the voices and listened intently.

"May I ask _why_ again?"

"_Do it_, Hotaru, before _I _push you off."

"If I don't?"

"You know the consequences." Then I realized something. He said 'Hotaru.'

Hotaru?

Imai?

Hotaru?

Imai?

Wait, what the hell am I doing…

Crap – what the hell was this about?

_KokoPOV (Inside his mind):_

'_You know what? I don't care!'_

_This again?!_

'_Then jump off!'_

'_No.'_

_Okay, now there are two voices…_

'_H-If you want _him _back, you're going to jump off. Now.'_

'_I told you yes! But I'm backing out! I don't want this! I don't care!'_

_Uh…_

'_You don't care…about Haru?'_

_Haru? Wasn't Haru that guy…? What's this all about?_

'_It's not that I don't-Oh, frick off!'_

…_I'm innocent._

_HainaPOV:_

I was fuming. Geez, the _nerve_ of the guy…

'_RUKA!'_

_What the hell…_

**AkiPOV:**

I ran my hands through my hair. I wasn't really a jerk. It was all a scheme. Kind of.

I looked at Haina's back as she quickly walked away. I felt low. I didn't even tell her that...ahem. Something.

My hand flew to my cheek where she slapped me. God, that hurt. Well, at least she'll probably never talk to me again.

I sighed. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but I got it so I have to deal with it.

Then I heard a shriek.

**I was going to make this longer, but I figured I should publish already after two and a half months. ==**

**Do you want slower updates with longer chapters, or faster updates but shorter chapters? I mean, I would do faster updates and longer chapters if it was spring break so there's no pressure and stuff but it's not, so yeah...**

**Oh, vote in my poll, please!**

**WAHHHH, SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE. I suck :D**

**Review if you'd like. ^^**

**-r-r.p who really needs to update more of her stories and fics...**


	20. Contemplating

Hi. I know, you're tired of my author's notes.

It's just that I don't really know whether this is worth writing anymore or what.

Should I hand it over to someone else? I don't really know.

It's not so much that I'm getting bored with it, but I really just want to finish this fic. I have others to work on (though yes, entirely my fault for that), and I think it's dragging on a bit. Plus, I'm kinda busy-ish these days. Okay, I lied – All the time. Do you agree with me to just explain the whole Carson thing, do all that stuff in between, and then just finish it off? I'm actually seriously contemplating that. :/ Even though I know the ending might be a bit...messy.

I really don't know – All I'm thinking about is my shit-load of homework and my (two) friends on FFN that I'm not even really sure if we're friends anymore because of a certain thing...Everything is seriously eating me up.

Please PM or review your answers and suggestions, or anything else. Thank you.

-r-r.p


End file.
